Earlier on Thursday, Radio Slobodna Evropa reported, citing the Hungarian Defense Ministry, that An-124 transported two MiG-29 fighters to Serbia from Belarus, which is under European Union sanctions, and on May 16 made an emergency landing in Budapest.
“Antonov Airlines operated this flight on the basis of a signed contract, in compliance with all international norms and rules for air cargo transportation. Transportation was performed strictly in accordance with the national legislation of the countries along the route,” the commentary says.
Representatives of the state-owned enterprise stressed that “such transportation does not fall under the sanctions of Ukraine (the operating country), the European Union (the country along the route) and the UK (the country where the Antonov aircraft reinsurers are located)”.
The state-owned enterprise refused to give detailed information about the cargo, referring to the contract.
The landing in Hungary was explained by a technical malfunction.
“After the prompt delivery of the necessary spare parts there and the elimination of the malfunction, the aircraft safely completed its charter flight in Serbia,” the Ukrainian company said.
Ruslan is the world’s largest production transport aircraft.
“Ruslan” transported the remaining two of the four MiG-29 fighters that Belarus handed over to Serbia, the journalists noted.
The sanctions against Belarus were imposed by the European Union in connection with what is happening in the country after the presidential elections in August 2020. According to official figures, won them in power since 1994, Alexander Lukashenko, for whom 80.1% of voters voted. The second place with 10.1% of the votes was taken by the Belarusian oppositionist Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. At the same time, alternative exit polls showed the opposite picture – a confident victory for Tikhanovskaya.
Protesters oppose the official election results.
Belarusian security forces violently dispersed rallies using stun grenades, rubber bullets and water cannons… During the protests, hundreds of demonstrators were injured and injured. According to the human rights center “Viasna”, since August in the country detained more than 25 thousand people, in total they received 83 thousand days of arrest. The authorities announced four dead protesters, opposition – about eight.
The opposition insists on holding new elections in Belarus. Lukashenka said that first, the country needs to change the constitution (the draft of the new constitution, according to him, will present in 2021), and only after that hold new elections.
As of May 20, political prisoners in Belarus recognized 396 people, reported human rights center “Vesna”. Most of them came under criminal prosecution after the presidential elections.
European Union October 2 introduced restrictive measures against 40 personsresponsible for rigging presidential elections and violently suppressing peaceful protests. 6 November EU imposed sanctions against Lukashenka and 14 more Belarusian officials. December 17 EU introduced the third package of sanctions against Belarus, restrictive measures affected 29 people and seven organizations.
On February 21, 2021, the ex-Minister of Culture of Belarus and a member of the coordination council of the Belarusian opposition Pavel Latushko said that The European Union is preparing the fourth package of sanctions… According to him, the EU is expected to expand the sanctions lists of Belarusian judges and officials, as well as security officials.
European Union preparing for the fourth package of sanctions against high-ranking officials of Belarus. This was announced on May 10 by the EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Josep Borrell.
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