Security zone set up around nuclear plant – commander

March 16, Pozirk. Authorities have set up a special zone of two to three kilometers around the Astraviec Nuclear Power Plant to stop outsiders, Internal Troops Commander Mikałaj Karpiankoŭ told state media.

“The Belarusian nuclear plant is guarded by our special battalion. We made it special last May to raise the level of combat and special training. Within the battalion, a rather large special-task unit Cykłon has been formed, which is well armed, well staffed and has UAVs,” Karpiankoŭ said, as quoted by SB. Belarus Segodnya.

The Internal Troops, the criminal police and the Hrodna region’s organized crime directorate “work proactively to receive and verify information and prevent extremist provocations” at the station.

“We are trying to make our new special units as active as possible in capturing smugglers and cooperating with the internal bodies’ anti-crime block (to cover police operatives arresting drug couriers, drug dealers, extremists, arms dealers and treasure hunters),” the commander continued.

He said that they also closely cooperate with special-task units of the border service: “Our servicemen are often in the Ukrainian border area. They conduct joint patrols, verify information, ensure deep protection of the state border and block smuggling routes.”

The government actively used the Internal Troops to suppress mass protests in 2020, and to disperse street rallies in previous years.

Since the end of 2022, Karpiankoŭ has formed at least 10 special-task units called Ryś, Bierkut, Śmierč, Hranit and others across the country, primarily signing contracts with former Internal Troops servicemen.

Internal troops have been trained by Russian Wagner mercenaries.