MINSK, October 18. /TASS/. The Western secret services are pursuing the goal of regime change in Belarus and the subsequent break-up of the country’s relations with Russia, Ivan Tertel, chairman of the Belarusian State Security Committee (KGB), said on Tuesday.

"The goal [of the Western intelligence services] remains the same: a regime change in the Republic of Belarus as an attempt to change the geopolitical situation. They are trying to sever all relations between Belarus and the Russian Federation through all channels. And the more stable the situation is, the more active are these attempts," the newspaper Sovetskaya Belorussiya - Belarus Segodnya quoted him as saying.

Tertel noted that the opposition fugitives and their handlers are trying to "involve the youth [of the country] in destructive activities". He warned that "during the increase in tuition prices there will be attempts to start a protest movement among students and bring the situation back to the 2020 stage."

Belarus held a presidential election on August 9, 2020, in which Alexander Lukashenko won. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, a representative of the opposition, came second. She did not recognize the results and left the country. After the announcement of the voting results mass protests erupted in the country, which during the first days were accompanied by clashes with law enforcement officers. Criminal proceedings were initiated against a number of opposition leaders, including charges of calling for the seizure of power, creation of extremist formations, conspiracy to seize power unconstitutionally, and attempted terrorist acts.