While many countries speak of immediate sanctions, of unprecedented scandal or even of "state terrorism", Belarus assured Monday that it acted legally by intercepting a commercial flight after a bomb threat, rejecting European accusations who suspect Minsk of having hijacked the plane to arrest an opponent on board.

"There is no doubt that the actions of our competent bodies were in accordance with international rules," said the Foreign Ministry on its site, rejecting the "baseless accusations" of European countries, accused of politicizing the 'incident.

"It is from a security point of view that we must look at this incident," he said, referring to the bomb threat which led to the landing in Minsk on Sunday of the Ryanair flight connecting Greece to Lithuania, two EU countries.

Diplomatic bomb threat

Westerners and detractors of the regime of Alexander Lukashenko considered that it was a hijacking, some even speaking of "state terrorism", intended to arrest Roman Protassevich, 26, former editor chief of influential Belarusian opposition media

Nexta

.

The plane was intercepted just before entering Lithuanian airspace by the Belarusian air force on the orders of President Alexander Lukashenko, citing a bomb threat which Minsk said turned out to be false.

The opponent, considered a "terrorist" by the Belarusian authorities was arrested at the airport in the Belarusian capital.

Moscow defends the power of Minsk

Responding to accusations "from certain countries and European structures", Belarusian diplomacy denounced "the eagerness of these openly hostile statements.

There is a desire to politicize, we hear unfounded accusations.

"

Russian diplomacy on Monday deemed "shocking" Western accusations against Belarus.

"It is shocking that the West considers the incident in Belarusian airspace to be 'shocking'," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova quipped on Facebook, noting that Western states are falling apart on Facebook. are in the past convicted of "kidnappings, forced landings and unlawful arrests".

World

Belarus: Minsk routs plane carrying opponent, Westerners furious

Culture

Eurovision 2021: Belarus disqualified

  • Europe

  • World

  • Belarus

  • Russia

  • Diplomacy