More than 20 people have been arrested in Belarus in connection with the alleged sabotage of a Russian military aircraft last month at an airfield near Minsk, the leader of this Moscow-allied country, Alexander Lukashenko, announced on Tuesday.
The main suspect, presented as a Russian-Ukrainian working for Kyiv’s special services, and “more than 20 of his accomplices who were on Belarusian territory” have been arrested so far, said Lukashenko, quoted by the Belarusian state news agency Belta.
Belarus serves as a rear base for Russian forces which launched an offensive against Ukraine last year, but Belarusians opposing it have carried out sabotage operations in recent months, for example against the rail network.
In late February, the Belarusian opposition in exile claimed that a Russian military plane had been destroyed at Matchulishchy airfield near Minsk, with media reporting that it was a surveillance and command plane A -50.
The Kremlin refused to comment on this subject, but Mr Lukashenko admitted on Tuesday that a Russian army A-50 plane had been targeted, while ensuring that the device had not been “ heavily damaged.”
According to the Belarusian authoritarian leader, the main suspect, whom he described as a “terrorist”, is a Russian man who also has a Ukrainian passport, and who was trained by the Ukrainian special services, the SBU.
“He was recruited by the Ukrainian services in 2014, it seems. He is a specialist in new technologies, or at least he is good at it, ”he added.
Lukashenko said the attack was carried out using small drones to avoid radar detection.
After a hunt that mobilized “hundreds, even thousands” of members of the security forces, the suspect was found and arrested in the cellar of a house, said Mr. Lukashenko, calling the arrest a “miracle”.
The Belarusian opposition in exile claimed last month that this alleged sabotage was carried out by two Belarusians who left the country after the operation.
Belarus, Moscow’s only European ally against Kyiv, is not taking a direct part in the Russian offensive in Ukraine, but lent its territory for the initial assault a year ago.
Moscow is also using Belarusian airfields to strike Ukraine, according to kyiv.
Russia and Belarus have stepped up military exercises in recent months. Ukraine has said it fears an entry of Minsk into the conflict.
In mid-February, Mr. Lukashenko had assured that he would only go to war against Ukraine if the forces of kyiv attacked Belarus first.