MINSK, May 2. /TASS/. Belarusian State Security Committee Head Ivan Tertel said on Tuesday that he anticipates escalation of tensions surrounding the country, including in light of attempts to destabilize the domestic situation within the country with backing from foreign special services.

"We are forecasting a considerable escalation in the situation along the perimeter of our country. This is linked, first, with the theme of combat operations in the southern direction. And, second, with the fact that attempts to destabilize the domestic situation within our country have never ceased. They originate from centers located abroad, which are planning these activities with direct support from agent handlers, including those on the staffs of foreign intelligence services. A range of such serious actions are being planned to occur on our territory," the BelTA news agency quoted him as saying after a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

According to Tertel, the "sponsors" of those involved in carrying out sabotage give these people no opportunity to bow out of such activity. "The sponsors are foreigners, both individuals and special services and other organizations," he said, adding that in these conditions, "the head of state has ordered that we suggest our proposals for responding to these challenges."

He noted that there are people who do not see the danger that they and their families may face. "That is why we intend to use real-life materials, actual detentions, and counterintelligence operations, as well as the activities of those units charged with defending the constitutional order, who prevent terrorist attacks, as illustrative examples for our people so that they can see and understand exactly what we are dealing with," he said, adding that measures will be taken to toughen counterintelligence activities.