Alyaksandr Lukashenko, at a meeting in Minsk, characterized a strike by a "Ukrainian drone" on a bus carrying Belarusian children in Bryansk region as a provocation.
According to Lukashenko, the drone that attacked the bus carrying Belarusian nationals, including children, in Bryansk region was of Ukrainian origin.
"We are not rushing to draw any conclusions, but we clearly state the fact that this is a drone of Ukrainian origin. This is a Ukrainian drone," Lukashenko said.
He said the Ukrainian side had responded to the allegations, stating that many people buy these drones. "That is, it was not us (the Ukrainian side states — ed.), someone bought it, or perhaps it is some kind of provocation," Lukashenko said of Ukraine’s response. "There are more than enough conspiracy theories here," he added.
According to Russian authorities, last Wednesday on the A240 highway in Bryansk region, a double-decker bus belonging to youth sports school No. 2 of the city of Rechytsa was attacked by a "Ukrainian strike drone." The bus, carrying a Homel children’s football team traveling to Gelendzhik for a holiday, had 44 passengers on board, including 28 young athletes.
As a result of the attack, according to the latest reports, a woman accompanying the team was killed. Seven people, including five children, were hospitalized. One child’s condition is assessed by doctors as serious, the remaining casualties are in moderate condition.
