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Crisis in Belarus

Russian intelligence head says CIA, Pentagon implicated in Belarus unrest

The United States is using dirty methods to whip up tensions in Belarus, the foreign intelligence chief stated

Head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin Vladimir Gerdo/TASS

Head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin

© Vladimir Gerdo/TASS

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Interior Ministry says 22 protest activities took place in Belarus on Sunday

MOSCOW, September 29. /TASS/. CIA and Pentagon instructors are implicated in preparing protests in Belarus, head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin said Tuesday as cited by the service’s press bureau.

"’Fighters for renewed Belarus are trained in Poland, Georgia, Ukraine and the Baltic states with participation of instructors from the CIA and the Pentagon as well as US non-governmental organizations affiliated with the [US] Department of State," he noted.

Dirty methods

The United States is using dirty methods to whip up tensions in Belarus, the foreign intelligence chief stated. "The US is using the dirtiest methods for rocking the boat in Belarus. When cooperating with the Belarusian opposition, the Americans are shifting the focus on boosting the activity of its strong-arm members among radical nationalists. The Department of State has launched an effort on engaging extremist elements in protests."

The United States is interfering with the religious situation in Belarus and is seeking to drag Catholic communities into anti-government protests, Sergei Naryshkin believes. "According to available information, the United States is blatantly interfering with the religious situation in Belarus, seeking to set Orthodox and Catholic Christians against each other. Trying to drag Vatican, so far demonstrating restraint, into the Belarusian developments, the Americans are seeking to involve Catholic clergy in anti-government protests," he said, adding that the US is calling on Catholic clergy to come up with criticism of the Belarusian authorities and use religious events, including prayers, cross processions, etc., to spread opposition propaganda among worshipers.

Resonant provocation

The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service has obtained information that a large-scale provocation is currently being plotted in Belarus, the head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service revealed.

"According to the data at hand, extremist opponents of the current Belarusian authorities hiding abroad are concocting a plan of a large-scale provocation, which would involve an arrest, injury or even murder of one of the reputable members of the Catholic church," Naryshkin noted. "The aim is to inflame anti-government sentiments among Catholics and incite them to take a more active part in street protests," he said.

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