KGB: Russian aircraft sabotage case suspects charged under death penalty article

April 3, BPN. The suspects in the criminal case of an attack on Russia’s A-50 military aircraft in the Mačuliščy air base, Minsk region, have been charged with an act of terrorism committed by an organized group.

“All members in the organized group, regardless of their role in the committed offense, are deemed to be perpetrators,” the KGB’s deputy department head Kanstancin Byčak told the ONT television channel.

This criminal offense can even be punished with death, he added.

On March 31, Alaksandr Łukašenka said in his state of the union speech that 30 “scoundrels” were arrested and locked up.

Reports of explosions at the Mačuliščy air base emerged on February 26. A rare and expensive military aircraft, A-50, was said to be damaged.

Resistance group ByPol said the explosions were caused by Belarusian partisans using kamikaze drones. ByPol head Alaksandr Azaraŭ said the perpetrators fled Belarus.

The state media and officials hushed up the incident for days and then started convincing the masses that the plane was in good working order. Footage of the supposedly serviceable aircraft was aired.

On March 7, Alaksandr Łukašenka said the attack did happen, called it an act of terror, and blamed it on Kyiv.

The KGB said over 20 people were arrested, including Nikolay Shvets (Mykola Shveć), the alleged attacker. It said he was a Ukrainian agent.

On May 18, 2022, Alaksandr Łukašenka amended the Criminal Code, expanding the grounds for capital punishment.

The amendments had been rushed through the National Assembly.

For instance, the death penalty can be handed down for terrorism by an organized group.

So far, there is no precedent that the government ever imposed the death penalty on this basis.