President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko would not have surrendered Russian citizens detained in the country at the end of July to Kiev, even with a corresponding request from the Ukrainian authorities. This was announced by the editor-in-chief of the radio station “Moscow speaking” Roman Babayan, who participated in an interview with the Belarusian leader.
“And then I ask him a question, I say:“ Alexander Grigorievich, and if, say, a Ukrainian prosecutor came and brought you some papers, ”that is, I meant [выдачу], – to this he said: “No, no matter what, I would ask these people where they want to go, and if they said that they want to leave for Russia, I would give an order for them to leave for Russia “, – the journalist quoted Lukashenko as saying on the air of the radio station” Moscow speaking “.
Babayan added that, according to the Belarusian president, he summoned the heads of the special services, appealed to Moscow and Kiev with a request to send prosecutors, but they did not come.
“And then I sent my son, who works as a security adviser, to apologize to these people (detained Russians – ed.) And asked where they want to go. They said: “We want to go to Russia.” And, in fact, they left, ”Babayan told Lukashenka.
A group of Russians in Belarus was detained at the end of July. It was alleged that they were allegedly employees of the Wagner PMC. In Moscow, they explained that these people went to Istanbul, but missed the plane. A criminal case was opened against the detainees on suspicion of preparing a terrorist attack.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the detention of Russians in Belarus a provocation by a third state.
According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the detainees were “used in the dark”, luring them to Belarus under the pretext of leaving for third countries for legal work. As a result, they were “presented as a possible striking force to sway the situation during the election campaign,” the head of state explained.
On August 14, the Prosecutor General’s Office announced that 32 of 33 Russians detained in Belarus had been returned home. Another Russian citizen, who also has a Belarusian passport, remained on the territory of the republic.