Minsk showed that principle of mutual support of people of Ukraine, Belarus means nothing to it - Zelensky's Office
The Belarusian administration demonstrated neglect of the principle of mutual assistance and historical closeness of the people of Ukraine and Belarus by releasing the fighters of the Russian private military company Wagner detained near Minsk, the Office of the President of Ukraine said.
"Official Minsk, unfortunately, has demonstrated by irresponsibility releasing the Wagner people that historical closeness between our two peoples and the principles of mutual assistance to neighbors mean nothing to it personally. By the way, it is a state choice that absolutely shows his internal values. Let's leave this question rhetorical," according to a statement released on Sunday.
According to earlier reports, 33 Russian citizens whom the Belarusian authorities identified as members of the private military company Wagner and who were suspected of intending to organize riots during the presidential election were detained near Minsk on July 29.
Ukraine said the detainees had fought in eastern Ukraine against the government forces and nine of them were citizens of Ukraine. The Office of the President of Ukraine said 28 people, of which nine were citizens of Ukraine, had been named suspects in a case involving participation in a terrorist organization (Article 258-3 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code). On August 12, the Office of the Prosecutor General asked the Belarusian Prosecutor General's Office for the extradition of 28 members of the private military company Wagner.
Before that, on August 5, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had a detailed discussion on issues relating to the detention of fighters from a private military company. On August 6, Lukashenko invited the prosecutors general of Russia and Ukraine to the country for an investigation into the situation with the detainees. On August 9, he said the prosecutors general of Ukraine and Russia had not come to Minsk.
The Russian Prosecutor General's Office said on August 14 the Russian citizens detained in Belarus had repatriated. Thirty-two of the 33 people returned.