Russian FSB claims to have prevented military coup in Belarus and assassination attempt on Lukashenko
On April 17, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that it detained two people who allegedly were preparing a military coup in Belarus and an assassination attempt on the self-proclaimed president Alexander Lukashenko, TASS reports.
"The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, together with the Committee of State Security of the Republic of Belarus (KGB), as a result of the special operation, foiled the illegal activities of Yuri Zyankovich, who has dual citizenship of the United States and the Republic of Belarus, and Alexander Feduta, a citizen of Belarus, who planned to carry out a military coup in Belarus under an elaborate scenario of "colored revolutions" with the involvement of local and Ukrainian nationalists,” reported the press service of the FSB.
According to the FSB, the detained arrived in Moscow after consultations in the United States and Poland to meet with representatives of the Armed Forces of Belarus and try to convince them to participate in the military coup. During the meeting, the "conspirators" told the "Belarusian generals" that in order to successfully implement their plan, it is necessary to physically eliminate almost the entire top leadership Belarus.
The FSB says that the plan of a military coup also included the seizure of radio and TV stations to broadcast the address to the people and blocking units of internal troops and riot police loyal to the current government. Allegedly, a complete shutdown of the Belarusian power grid was being prepared to make it difficult for law enforcement agencies to act.
The ultimate goal was to change the constitutional order with the abolition of the post of president and the transition of the control to the "Committee of National Reconciliation," the FSB statement reads.
"It is worth noting that the Belarusian opposition chose to carry out the military coup on the day of the Victory day Parade in Minsk on May 9. After documenting the meeting, the conspirators were detained by the Russian security authorities and handed over to their Belarusian partners," the statement continues.
The head of the KGB Ivan Tertel said on Belarus government TV channel that the actions of an organized group trying to seize power in the country were prevented.