(ANSA-AFP) - MINSK, 30 JUL - Belarus said Thursday it had
opened a criminal probe into planned acts of terror by Russian
mercenaries held ahead of presidential polls, adding that it was
tracking down dozens more. The ex-Soviet country's security
services on Wednesday arrested a group of 32 Russian fighters as
well as one other man in a different location. Belarus security
council chief Andrei Ravkov said a criminal probe had been
launched and that the men face charges of preparing "terrorist
acts". "Thirty-three have been detained, there are up to 200 or
thereabouts on the territory (of Belarus)," Ravkov said. He said
"a search is going on" to find the others, complaining that it
was "like looking for needles in a haystack." Belarus's KGB
security service said the detained men were members of the
Wagner group, a shadowy private military firm reportedly
controlled by an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin which
promotes Moscow's interests in Ukraine, Syria and Libya. The
arrests came ahead of presidential polls on August 9 in which
strongman Alexander Lukashenko is seeking a sixth term.
(ANSA-AFP). (ANSA).
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