Events
Ambassador: Belarus expects urgent investigation into bus attack in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast
MOSCOW, 23 June (BelTA) – Belarus expects an immediate and responsible investigation into the attack on a Belarusian bus carrying children in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast, Belarus’ Ambassador to Russia Yuri Seliverstov said at an embassy roundtable discussion on issues related to the Ukrainian crisis, organized by MGIMO of the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry for the heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Moscow, BelTA has learned.
Ambassador Yuri Seliverstov expressed his gratitude to the Russian side and other foreign partners who offered their condolences and strongly condemned this inhumane attack. “We firmly condemn the attack on the bus carrying children. Just like the events in Starobelsk, we regard it as a terrorist act against the civilian population, for which there is and can be no justification. Moreover, as the president of Belarus stated, this is ‘open fascism, when children are targeted’. The Republic of Belarus expects an immediate and responsible investigation into this tragedy. This cynical and deliberate attack on civilians must receive a principled legal assessment, including from international human rights institutions,” the diplomat said.
He recalled the statement made by the Belarusian leader on 18 June, noting that the Belarusian side is not rushing to draw conclusions but clearly states that the drone was of Ukrainian origin. “If someone is provoking and trying to drag Belarus into a war, it will end badly for those attempting to do so,” he said then.
On the same day, Ukraine’s Charge d’Affaires in Belarus Ivan Novitsky was summoned to the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “The Belarusian side demanded comprehensive explanations from Ukraine regarding the incident, the immediate and objective investigation of what happened, and information on bringing all responsible persons to the strictest accountability. It was emphasized that Belarus will continue to take all necessary measures to protect the lives and security of its citizens and reserves the right to take appropriate actions toward the Ukrainian side,” Ambassador Yuri Seliverstov told the heads of diplomatic missions.
“When children on their way to a holiday come under the sights of combat drones, all ambiguities disappear. This terrorist act is a grim reminder that in today’s realities no one can feel safe. Security will either be indivisible and shared by all, or it will not exist for anyone. The response to this challenge cannot be local. We need transparent control mechanisms, strict legal obligations, and a rejection of pressure and terror as instruments of politics. Only then can we restore stability and guarantee a peaceful future for the next generations,” the Belarusian ambassador stressed.
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