Lukashenka kept his words and dismissed some officials as the result of ‘bear bombing’ story.
The Chairman of the State Border Committee Major-General Ihar Rachkouski and the Commander of the Air Force and Air Defence Forces Major General Dzmitry Pakhmielkin were dismissed for the improper execution of official duties on ensuring the national security of the Republic of Belarus on Tuesday, July 31.
This decision was taken by the President of Belarus Aliaksandr Lukashenka, BelTA reports.
Ihar Rachkouski to be given at the command of State Border Committee, Dzmitry Pakhmielkin at the defense minister command.
The Defense Minister Jury Zhadobin and the Head of Armed Forces' General Headquarters — First Deputy Defense Minister Piatro Cikhanouski were warned about the incomplete official compliance.
In addition, the Secretary of State Security Council of Belarus Leanid Malcau and the chairman of the State Security Committee Vadzim Zajcau were reprimanded.
Previously, Lukashenka promised to make his decision on the incident “latest on Monday”, July 30. However, he was late for a day.
Until Lukashenka recognized the invasion of the light Swedish plane on June 26, all officials had denied the incident and called it provocation and claimed it had been faked in Photoshop (in spite of the fact that Swedes from Studio Total uploaded video footages).
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As it was reported previously, two Swedish citizens Per Cromwell and Hannah Lina Frey took off from Lithuania and illegally penetrated Belarus’ air space on July 4, a day after the Independence Day military parade which was to show country’s military might. They dropped around 1,000 plush teddy bears with supportive pro-free speech banners over two Belarusian cities — Ivianiec and Minsk and then flew back to Lithuania where they landed.
Belarusian officials and ideologists denied the incident and called all footages uploaded by Studio Total fake ones.
The Ministry of Defence of Belarus still assures the footage of the Swedish pilots dropping teddy bears from the plane as a solidarity action is a false and was done using photo and video editors.
The Ministry representatives called the video “a provocation”.
“The incident was 100% provocation against Belarus supported by foreign secret services. Belarusian air force and air defence units did not confirmed violation of Belarusian air side by unidentified planes,” Major General Dzmitry Pakhmielkin, the commander of Belarusian air force and air defence said.
“What the provocation covered by mass media is concerned — a lightweight aircraft which crossed Belarusian border near town Ivianiec — the investigation on the incident has not been finished yet,” the general added.
However, the action of Swedish pilots was somewhat risky as in 1995 an American balloon that accidentally entered Belarusian air side was shot down by Belarusian air defense forces. The two pilots — Alan Frenchel and John Stewart — who participated in an international balloon rally, were killed.
However, it did not stop the pilots from their action as they wanted to support “journalists and dissidents who risk to be imprisoned every day” in Belarus.
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