Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Belarus Accuses 'Russian Mercenaries' of Election Plot - BBC News
Belarus Accuses 'Russian Mercenaries' of Election Plot - BBC News
EPA
Dmitry Peskov said he knew nothing of a plot or the Wagner paramilitary group, which Belarus
suspects of involvement.
President Alexander Lukashenko has been in power since 1994 and is seeking a sixth term in
office.
He has exerted authoritarian control over Belarus in a style reminiscent of the Soviet era and
has faced a wave of opposition protests over his re-election bid.
The secretary of the Belarus Security Council, Andrey Rawkow, said investigators suspected
as many as 200 Russian mercenaries had entered the country to "destabilise the situation
during the election campaign".
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53592854 1/14
7/30/2020 Belarus accuses 'Russian mercenaries' of election plot - BBC News
The Investigative Committee (SK), handling the case, says it is investigating possible links
between the Russian suspects and the jailed husband of opposition presidential candidate,
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
"Tsikhanouski, [Mikola] Statkevich and 33 detained Russian citizens - they acted together," SK
spokesman Sergei Kabakovich told the AFP news agency.
Andrey Rawkow said 14 of the detained Russians had fought in Ukraine's Donbas conflict,
describing their presence in Belarus as a "very unpleasant situation".
Reports by UN investigators, the US military and journalists have documented Wagner group
operations in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, Sudan and the Central African Republic. The Russian
government denies any links to the group.
The SK statement said that on Wednesday the authorities had "arrested 33 citizens of the
Russian Federation, members of the Wagner PMC [private military company], who were
staying at the Belorusochka sanatorium in Minsk district".
Video footage of the group's arrest showed they had Sudanese currency and a Sudanese
phone card with them. The Wagner group is known to be active in Sudan, and there is
speculation that it was using Belarus as a transit country for African operations.
In Moscow, Mr Peskov said on Thursday: "We know 33 Russians were detained yesterday in
Belarus. Two hundred are still at large. We do not know of any illegal activity that would be
grounds for their detention."
He also said there was "no such concept" as "Wagner PMC" in Russia.
"There are already insinuations that some organisations from Russia are sending someone to
destabilise the situation in Belarus. Or course it is nothing but insinuations," he said.
Related Topics
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53592854 2/14
7/30/2020 Belarus accuses 'Russian mercenaries' of election plot - BBC News
Europe
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53592854 3/14
7/30/2020 Belarus accuses 'Russian mercenaries' of election plot - BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53592854 4/14
7/30/2020 Belarus accuses 'Russian mercenaries' of election plot - BBC News
The top five most Siberia's enormous hole The English language
nutritious foods in the ground is getting ‘laws’ you never knew
bigger you knew
Elsewhere on BBC
Recommended by Outbrain
BBC BBC
How Japan’s infrastructure, hospitality The best films of 2020 so far
and innovation can deliver for business
travellers
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53592854 5/14
7/30/2020 Belarus accuses 'Russian mercenaries' of election plot - BBC News
Turn your passion for food and wine industry into a career:
apply for a scholarship
BBS - Bologna Busin…
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53592854 6/14
7/30/2020 Belarus accuses 'Russian mercenaries' of election plot - BBC News
Top Stories
Nasa rover launches on mission to find Martian life
The Perseverance rover mission is Nasa's most ambitious hunt for life on Mars since the
1970s.
6 hours ago
Features
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53592854 7/14
7/30/2020 Belarus accuses 'Russian mercenaries' of election plot - BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53592854 8/14
7/30/2020 Belarus accuses 'Russian mercenaries' of election plot - BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53592854 9/14
7/30/2020 Belarus accuses 'Russian mercenaries' of election plot - BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53592854 10/14
7/30/2020 Belarus accuses 'Russian mercenaries' of election plot - BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53592854 11/14
7/30/2020 Belarus accuses 'Russian mercenaries' of election plot - BBC News
Lyrics quiz
Have you been getting these songs wrong?
Feeling hot
What happens to your body in extreme heat?
Most Read
Donald Trump suggests delay to 2020 US presidential election 1
On smart speakers
Sport Reel
Worklife Travel
Future Culture
Music TV
Weather Sounds
Copyright © 2020 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our
approach to external linking.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53592854 14/14