MINSK, July 30. /TASS/. Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Andrey Ravkov has reported that the Russians taken into custody in Minsk are suspected of plotting a terrorist act, therefore, a criminal case has been opened.

"A criminal case was opened under article for preparing a terrorist act," he told journalists on Thursday.

The Secretary of the Security Council said that the law enforcement in Belarus is searching for up to 200 militants that haven’t been detained yet. "33 are detained, and up to 200 are on Belarusian territory, according to the operative information. The search is ongoing, it’s like a needle in a haystack," he said.

Due to that, the presidential candidates in Belarus received "certain information" to enhance the security measures during the electoral campaign, he noted. He specified that the campaign events will be conducted "with heightened security measures."

The Belarusian state news agency BelTA reported on Wednesday citing the republic’s law enforcement that overnight on Belarusian territory 33 Russians had been detained who were the employees of a foreign private military company. The alleged arrival in Belarus of over 200 people "in order to destabilize the situation during the electoral campaign" was also reported.

The presidential candidates arrived on Thursday morning at the Central Election Committee where on Wednesday night they were suddenly invited to meet with its chairperson Lydia Yermoshina. The Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Andrey Ravkov also participated in the meeting.