MINSK, July 22. /TASS/. German national Rico Krieger, sentenced to death in Belarus, decided not to appeal the court ruling, which has entered into effect, the "SB. Belarus today" newspaper reported.
According to the newspaper, Krieger was found guilty of committing an act of terrorism, collaboration with a foreign intelligence agency involving actions, deliberately aimed at harming Belarus’ national security, recruitment work, mercenarism, establishment of an extremist group or participation in it. The defendant was also found guilty of illegal possession and carrying of explosives by an organized group, intentional damage of transport communications, which could lead to death, train derailment, accident or other grievous consequences.
According to the newspaper, the German national was recruited by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on September 20, 2023, in order to carry out terror attacks against Belarusian National Security.
On October 2, 2023, Krieger entered Belarus as a tourist, in possession of a drone and mobile phones. He received a mission to carry out reconnaissance and photographing of targets in Osipovichi (Mogilev region). Then, he received coordinates and a photo of a cache containing an improvised explosive device and instructions on how to plant it on a railroad. He reportedly planted the device, which contained about 3 kg of octogen - a highly explosive substance - near the Ozerischa railway station. The explosion occurred on the day of planting, October 5, at 23:22, before a passenger train was supposed to arrive at the station.
According to the newspaper, Krieger was apprehended on October 6, when he planned to depart from Minsk to Baku.
Previously, Belarusian Foreign Minister Anatoly Glaz said that Belarus proposed specific options to resolve the station with the sentenced German national, adding that consultation between the foreign ministries on this issue continue.