Security forces have discovered an arsenal two days after killing a terrorism suspect near the country’s border with Poland
FILE PHOTO: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is shown walking near Moscow’s Red Square after the June 2020 Victory Day military parade. © Mikhail Voskresenskiy – Host Photo Agency via Getty Images
Belarusian security forces have found a cache of weapons that were allegedly set aside for terrorists, potentially preventing attacks on the country just two days after killing a foreign terrorism suspect near the Polish border.
“The special services have worked brilliantly,” President Alexander Lukashenko said on Tuesday at a government conference in Minsk. “An entire arsenal of weapons and explosives was seized. These weapons were intended for high-profile terrorist attacks against individuals and government officials.”
Lukashenko also praised security forces for their success on Sunday in killing a suspected terrorist in Grodno without suffering any casualties, even though the man allegedly used grenades and automatic weapons. “As I often say, people who risk their lives should always be acknowledged and supported.”
Sunday’s shootout involved a man who was suspected of planning a terrorist attack, the Belarusian KGB security agency said. A Belarusian television report on Tuesday said a forged passport in the name of a Russian citizen had been found on the body.
Security forces have stepped up raids and arrests since a drone attack last month on a Russian spy plane at an airfield near Minsk. Tensions with neighboring Poland and Ukraine have escalated since Russia began its military operation against Kiev last year. Belarus is a close ally of Moscow and has hosted Russian forces and equipment.
The chief suspect in the plane attack is Nikolay Shvets, a man with Russian and Ukrainian citizenship who was allegedly acting on Kiev’s behalf. Lukashenko said Shvets had admitted to working for Ukraine’s SBU security service and used advanced technology, including software developed by America’s CIA, in the attack.
Bypol, an anti-government group formed by former law enforcement officers, claimed responsibility for damaging the Russian plane. The group had nothing to do with the events in Grodno, Bypol chief Alexander Azarau told Associated Press on Tuesday. He suggested that the Belarusian government may have staged the incidents to create the appearance of a threat from NATO or Poland.
“We should not lower our guard,” Lukashenko said. He added: “This is another signal to us. We have to be prepared for any events.”
