Ukraine to request Belarus about extradition of 28 detained militants – PGO
The Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) of Ukraine has informed the competent authorities of Belarus about its intentions to demand the extradition of participants in Russian armed aggression in Donbas detained on its territory, the Prosecutor General's Office told Interfax-Ukraine.
Thus, the PGO appealed to the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Belarus with requests for the temporary arrest of people who were detained by law enforcement agencies of this state on July 29.
"Some 28 persons, of whom nine are citizens of Ukraine, have been declared suspicious of participation in a terrorist organization (Article 258-3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine)," the law enforcement officials said.
As explained to the agency in the Prosecutor General's Office, Ukraine will ask for the extradition of 28 detainees who are suspected.
"Thus, the Ukrainian side expressed its intention to demand the extradition of these people to Ukraine in order to bring them to justice for crimes related to illegal participation in the armed conflict in Donbas," the Prosecutor General's Office said.
According to law enforcement officers, the preparation of documents necessary for sending requests for the extradition of these persons is currently underway. The issue of their extradition will be decided by the competent authorities of Belarus.
As reported, the state Belarusian news agency BelTA said that law enforcement officials of Belarus detained 32 "militants of foreign private military company Wagner" near Minsk, and another person was detained in the south of the country. On Wednesday evening this information was confirmed by KGB Chairman Valery Vakulchik at an urgent meeting of the Security Council of Belarus.
On Thursday morning, State Secretary of the Belarusian Security Council Andrei Ravkov said that the Russians from the Wagner PMC detained near Minsk were testifying.
On July 30, the Security Service of Ukraine announced that it would initiate the issue of extradition of the fighters detained in Belarus.
On July 31, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus has handed over to Ukraine a list of Russian fighters detained in Belarus and asked to hand over the specified document to the competent authorities of Ukraine.