Foreign Ministry To Unveil Talks Between “Belavia” And Ukrainian Air Traffic Controllers

Belarusian authorities promise to take additional measures in relation to the return of Belavia airplane to Kiev airport.

If Ukraine doesn’t react to the incident with the Belavia airplane, which was forced to return to Kiev airport, Belarus will have to take additional measures, which include even the publication of the decrypted talks between the airplane crew and Ukrainian air traffic controller.

The Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Dzmitry Mironchyk said that at a briefing in Minsk on October 27,

BelaPAN writes.

He noted that the decoded conversation contains “clear threat to use combat aircraft if the plane doesn’t turn around and doesn’t come back to Kiev.”

“It is also very clearly understood from this conversation, that those words were not the initiative of the air traffic controller, but a particular authority, giving commands, was specified,” – Mironchyk said. – Such position of the Ukrainian side, of the Ukrainian partners, in relation to which Belarus has always demonstrated good-neighborly and friendly relation, sets us wondering.”

According to Mironchyk, the Ukrainian side could realize its objectives without resorting to enforcement actions against the aircraft, using bilateral mechanisms of cooperation between the law enforcement agencies.

“Unfortunately, the Ukrainian side is absolutely not reacting to the situation, – the Foreign Ministry spokesman said. – If there is no reaction, we will have to double down on efforts. But there is still some time.”

We recall that a Belavia aircraft, departing from Kiev to Minsk on 21 October, was forced to return to the departure airport. The crew was told that fighters would be sent in the air in the event of the refusal. Ukrainian security services deny threatening to get fighters into the sky.

“We asked to reverse the plane because we had reasonable suspicions. This concerns safety matters, it is a standard international practice,” – spokesman for Ukrainian special services Elena Gitlyanskaya said.