MOSCOW, 11 Aug. Roman Protasevich, who founded the Nexta Telegram channel recognized as extremist in Belarus, admitted in an interview with RT that he was directly related to the coup attempt in the republic, but did not strive for what the opposition is now coming to. «Probably yes. I sincerely believed in that. What I did. And I did it not at all for the sake of what the opposition comes to later, including now. I really was in many moments, perhaps, even too ideological and too much believed in some ideals. Which, unfortunately , in real life, much less than I thought, «- he said in response to the question whether he considers himself a» co-author «of the attempt at revolution.
The investigation into the coup d'etat in Belarus was extended until October The Ryanair plane that flew from Athens to Vilnius on May 23 urgently landed at the Minsk airport due to a message about mining, which was not later confirmed. This plane was flown by Protasevich. While checking documents at the Minsk airport, Protasevich was detained. A criminal case was initiated against him under several articles, including the article «organizing mass riots», he faces up to 15 years in prison. Together with Protasevich, a citizen of the Russian Federation Sofia Sapega was detained, who is accused of inciting social enmity and hatred, and is also suspected under an article on group actions that grossly violate public order. concluding a pre-trial agreement on cooperation with the investigation, give consistent confessions. Investigators considered it possible to transfer them from custody to house arrest. Lukashenko's victory in the 2020 elections was the sixth in a row, according to the CEC, he received more than 80 percent of the vote. The ensuing unauthorized opposition protests at the initial stage were associated with riots, and the security forces used special means and special equipment to suppress them. On February 11, the KGB of Belarus announced that the situation in the country had stabilized, the peak of the protests had passed, and their manifestations had practically disappeared.
Sapega admitted the involvement of Protasevich's entourage in the landing of Ryanair
