MINSK, July 30. /TASS/. Certain circles in the West are mulling the use of force as a way to change the government in Belarus, the BelTA news agency reported on Friday, citing Chairman of the Belarusian State Security Committee (KGB) Ivan Tertel.
"The West’s policymaking circles are discussing various options for changing the government in Belarus as a necessary condition for achieving their geopolitical goals in eastern Europe. They don’t rule out the use of military force," the Belarusian intelligence chief pointed out at a meeting between the country’s President Alexander Lukashenko and local authorities.
Tertel emphasized that the West and members of the Belarusian opposition who had left the country planned to step up their activities "in September and October or the first half of the next year, provided that the Belarusian people’s living standards decline because of sanctions."
According to Tertel, the methods that the government’s opponents could use to destabilize the situation include "terrorist attacks and acts of intimidation against public figures, state officials, media workers, law enforcement officers and judges, as well as subversive activities at defense industry, economic and vital infrastructure facilities resulting in numerous casualties, which could be blamed on the current authorities."
The KGB chief noted that active attempts were being made "to assess sentiment among the personnel of major state enterprises and establish groups of activists capable of inspiring a big strike movement in case the economic situation deteriorates."