A Belarusian court on Friday convicted 12 people, most in absentia, for a drone attack that damaged a Russian military radar plane last year, handing down prison sentences of up to 25 years.
The case centers on the February 2023 attack on a Beriev A-50 plane at the Machulishchy airfield near Minsk, where Russia stations troops and equipment used in its military operations in Ukraine. A Belarusian guerrilla group, composed largely of former soldiers, claimed responsibility for the incident.
According to the state news agency Belta, four defendants were convicted of terrorism and received sentences ranging from 15 to 25 years. The independent news site Mediazona reported that these four, along with three others among the convicted, are currently outside Belarus.
“This verdict reflects the Belarusian government’s harsh stance on any perceived threats to its military cooperation with Russia,” said Dr. Elena Korosteleva, Professor of International Politics at the University of Kent, speaking to the Associated Press.
The remaining defendants faced lesser charges, resulting in sentences from just over two years to 15 years imprisonment. The specific details of their involvement were not immediately clear.
The attack and subsequent trial highlight the complex relationship between Belarus and Russia, as well as the internal opposition to Belarus’s support for Russian military activities.
“These sentences send a clear message to opposition groups, both within and outside Belarus,” Korosteleva added. “It demonstrates the regime’s determination to maintain its alignment with Moscow, despite international criticism.”
