MINSK, August 12. /TASS/. Police in Brest, southwestern Belarus, were forced to open fire early on Wednesday at armed citizens, who attacked them, the Interior Ministry’s press service said.
"The warning shots in the air did not stop them. In order to protect the officers’ life and health, the weapons were used. One of the attackers was wounded," the statement said.
Besides, an unidentified person threw a Molotov cocktail at a police car in the Brest region. In the city of Zhodin, near Minsk, a car drove into a serviceman and fled the scene. "In the past day, five incidents occurred, when cars deliberately hit law enforcement officers," the ministry said.
The investigators opened 17 criminal cases into attacks on police. Besides, early on August 12 there were attempts to block public transport in Minsk and a number of large cities in Belarus. More than 1,000 people were detained in the past day. Mass gatherings of people were reported in 25 settlements on August 11 night into August 12 morning.
Belarus held the presidential election on August 9. After the results of exit polls were announced, according to which incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko won 80.08% of the vote, mass protests flared up in Minsk and other cities, which spiraled into clashes with police. The protests continued at nights on August 10 and August 11. According to the Interior Ministry, several thousands of protesters were detained. One person was killed when he tried to throw an unidentified explosive device at the law enforcement officers, but it exploded in his hand. Lukashenko’s key rival Svetlana Tihanovskaya, who garnered 10.09% of the vote, has fled to Lithuania.