Belarusian leader contradicts Putin's claim of terrorists "fleeing to Ukraine"

Alexander Lukashenko, the self-proclaimed President of Belarus, stated that the terrorists who managed to flee after the attack on the Russian Crocus City Hall intended to enter Belarus but "turned around" due to implemented security measures and went to the Ukrainian-Russian border instead.

Source: Belta, a Belarusian state-owned news agency, quoting Lukashenko

Details: Lukashenko was asked about the claim that the terrorists attempted to hide in Belarus via Russia’s Bryansk Oblast. Lukashenko responded that they could not travel to Belarus because, "in the first minutes, the same way as in Russia, part of the region switched to a strengthened security regime."

Quote: "They could not enter Belarus in any way. They understood that. And so they turned around and went to the section of the Ukrainian-Russian border."

"As soon as the heads of state [Lukashenko and Putin - ed.] received information from special services that the car transporting the terrorists was moving towards Bryansk, an agreement was reached that Belarus would block its section of the alleged criminal movement, while Russia would block its own."

Background:

• The head of Russia, Vladimir Putin, claimed that a "back door" had been prepared for the suspects in the attack so that they could cross the border with Ukraine.

• The Russian FSB previously stated that the terrorists were detained in Bryansk Oblast near the Ukrainian border and were travelling to Ukraine because they "have connections there".

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