Moscow calls to refrain from the hasty assessment of the situation with the forced landing planting of the Irish Ryanair LouroSter in Minsk and the detention located on board the creator of the Telegram channel NEXTA Roman Protasevich. This was stated by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a press conference, which was broadcast in the Facebook account of the Russian Office.
“We advocate that this situation is not to evaluate this situation, but on the basis of all available information,” Lavrov said. The minister recalled that his Belarusian colleague has already expressed his readiness for transparency in the investigation of the incident and called this position reasonable.
On May 23, the airline of the Ryanair airline, following the route Athens – Vilnius, made an emergency landing in Minsk after reports of mining received from Minsk airport. To accompany the aircraft, the Fighter MiG-29 of the Air Force of Belarus was raised. Immediately after landing, Belarusian security forces detained on board Protasevich. Data on explosive devices on board the liner was not confirmed.
In the European Commission called the incident with the landing of the aircraft unacceptable. The head of international diplomacy of the EU Jozep Borrel demanded an international investigation. The French government reported that the European authorities think to stop airfares over Belarus, to introduce a ban on the flights of the National Carrier of Belavia in the EU airports and suspend ground transportation with the country.
Minsk authorities consider Protasevich guilty of creating extremist formation and calls to mass riots after the presidential elections in August 2020.