Meeting of the Security Council

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko has called an urgent meeting of the Security Council. The head of state was informed about the situation concerning the detention of more than 30 representatives of a foreign private military company in Belarus.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted: “I've invited you to look into the matter of this, one can say, emergency that happened this night. There is no other word for it.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko asked KGB Chairman Valery Vakulchik to describe the situation in more detail. The Belarusian head of state noted: “I've been looking at how the Russians respond to it. As they make excuses, they go nearly as far as saying we've brought them here on our own. It is clear they need to justify their dirty intentions in some manner. This is why I would like to ask you that everything must be extremely sincere and honest in this situation and with regard to this fact. If those are Russian citizens (as far as I can understand they've been questioned), it means we should immediately contact the relevant authorities of the Russian Federation so that they could explain what's going on.”

The president also gave an instruction to Press Secretary Natalya Eismont: “We should contact Russian mass media, including Telegram channels, so that they wouldn't talk rubbish as Putin says. If they are guilty, it is necessary to find a decent way out of this situation. If they are not guilty, we have no intention of besmirching a friendly country.”

“This is why I would like you to briefly inform me about the situation and about what we have on our hands today,” the Belarusian leader noted.