The Belarusian Interior Ministry has detained six members of a militia group that trained in forest near the eastern city of Mogilev, seizing fragments of an incendiary device from them, spokeswoman Olga Chemodanova said on Monday
MINSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2020) The Belarusian Interior Ministry has detained six members of a militia group that trained in forest near the eastern city of Mogilev, seizing fragments of an incendiary device from them, spokeswoman Olga Chemodanova said on Monday.
The group members were detained during their training on September 13. A criminal case against four of them has already been launched. The individuals are between 16 and 22 years old. The detention comes amid anti-government protests that have been gripping Belarus since the August 9 election.
"The Interior Ministry's General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime has dismantled illegal activity of a forest-based group. The leader of this group created a social network community 'Partisans of Mogilev,' which had 64 users. According to preliminary data, the group members used to gather in an abandoned facility in the forest near Mogilev. There, they trained and practiced skills of street fighting, seizing buildings, assault mountaineering and fighting in the forest," Chemodanova told reporters.
The official noted that the squad members had an opposition white-red-white flag; uniforms with chevrons of the Pahonia battalion, a group of Belarusian volunteers who are fighting in Donbas on the side of Ukrainian government forces; as well as balaclavas; bulletproof vests; airsoft and pneumatic weapons; a signal pistol; knives and radio equipment. Security forces also confiscated fragments of an incendiary device on the site.
"Some of its participants made improvised incendiary devices and tested them. The guys, including minors, posted video reports on the internet," the spokeswoman added.
The manhunt for other group members is underway.
