Lukashenko: Plane chase in Lithuania

According to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, the aircraft that appeared over Vilnius did not violate any rules, and he considers the sanctions imposed over this incident to be unlawful. The president stated that Belarus is ready to lift the sanctions if 'you apologize' and stop the 'ongoing' aggression. He noted that Ukrainian diplomat Larisa Protasevich, whose status is being discussed, is unrelated to the incident itself. Lukashenko emphasized that 'you came from Vilnius' and 'flew in from the south' in order to 'bring down' the aircraft to Belarus, calling this an 'incorrect strategy' on the part of the international community. He assured that his defensive actions were not prompted by the presence of a member of his team on the plane, but were justified.

Published in the context of ongoing disagreements between Belarus and EU countries, which continue to consider imposing strict sanctions in response to geopolitical events.

Context

The incident involving the aircraft over Vilnius occurred in May 2023. In response, Belarus escalated tensions in its relations with the EU, while Minsk drew international attention to similar political accusations related to former politicians.