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Home-made pyrotechnic device exploded near KGB building in Belarus’ Vitebsk

“Eyewitnesses" reports helped police to detain three persons. One of the detained is a man with symptoms of mental disability
Photo Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo Photo ITAR-TASS

MINSK, November 12 (Itar-Tass) — A home-made pyrotechnic device was exploded near the State Security Committee’s (KGB) office in the Belarusian city of Vitebsk, a Committee spokesman said on Monday.

According to official information, the incident took place at 18:48 local time (19:48 Moscow time) on November 11. The explosion broke two windows of the KGB administrative building.

“According to preliminary data, the device was a cardboard or plastic tube filled with 50-70 grams of pyrotechnic mixture and placed in a can of 0.25-0.33 liters. The device had no striking pieces. It was activated by ignition,” the spokesman said.

“Eyewitnesses’ reports helped police to detain three persons. One of the detained, a man with symptoms of mental disability, had a previous record of making telephone calls to the local KGB office with improper pronouncement in respect of the authorities,” the spokesman noted and added that a criminal case had been opened on hooliganism charges. An investigation is underway.

Earlier Belarus’s Internet media posted reports about an explosion that took place overnight in Vitebsk near the building of the local State Security Committee (KGB) office.

Media reports refered to Pavel Levinov, a representative of Belarus’ Helsinki committee in Vitebsk, who said that a section of the building was cordoned off by policemen in uniform, and the lights were on in the building.