Lukashenko Claims Allies Threw Opposition Figure Kolesnikova Out of Car at Ukrainian Border

MINSK (Sputnik) – Maria Kolesnikova, a senior member of the coordination council of the Belarusian opposition, was thrown out of a car at the Ukrainian border by her own allies, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview with Russian broadcasters.

According to the president, the border service then detained Kolesnikova.

A member of the opposition council, Pavel Latushko, has said that there was an attempt to smuggle Kolesnikova to Ukraine by force, but she tore her passport to avoid it.

The Belarusian border service revealed that Kolesnikova, Anton Rodnenkov, and Ivan Kravtsov went through the checkpoint in Belarus and headed toward Ukraine. Lukashenko also said that Kolesnikova and two other opposition figures were let through by the Belarusian border and customs service.

Belarus has seen numerous protests since 9 August, when the presidential election was held. According to the Central Election Commission, Lukashenko was re-elected with 80.1 percent. The opposition refused to recognize the results of the vote. In the first few days, the law enforcement quelled the protests using tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets, but then the police stopped using force. official data suggests more than 6,700 people were detained at the very beginning of the unrest. The Interior Ministry said hundreds were injured in the protests, including more than 130 law enforcement officers. Three protesters were confirmed to have died.

Sourse: sputniknews.com