Vladimir Butko

Vladimir Butko was a 50-year-old former special forces officer in Belarus, known for his involvement in controversial operations, including the abduction and murder of opposition politicians in the late 1990s. He served in military unit 3214 and was a commander in the Special Rapid Reaction Unit, having earned the coveted maroon beret. His name was mentioned by fellow operative Yuri Garavskiy as part of a group implicated in these serious crimes. Butko's recent death after a prolonged illness was acknowledged by the Belarusian Association of Veterans of Special Forces, highlighting his complex legacy.