Chairman of the State Security Committee Ivan Tertel, answering journalists’ questions, explained the reasons for strengthening control on the external border of Belarus, BelTA informs. According to him, these are additional measures to strengthen the counterintelligence regime on the territory of Belarus.
“This measure is currently being implemented along the entire perimeter of our border. It is aimed at the timely identification and localization of the activities of persons harboring terrorist, extremist aspirations in relation to Belarus,” Tertel said.
He noted that the KGB is aware of “the existence of real plans among the people from the combat groups formed on the territory of Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and some other countries to commit terrorist acts in Belarus.”
“This barrier (strengthened control at the border. – Ed. note) is only one of the components that allows us to carry out a certain filtering of this contingent and prevent it from entering our territory.”
It should be reminded that intensified checks have recently been resumed on the border of Belarus with Lithuania and Poland. The security forces began to selectively check instant messengers and social networks on their phones. Those entering the country are interested in trips abroad over the past few years, participation in protests in Belarus and in the events of the Belarusian diaspora abroad. They also ask questions about the war in Ukraine, the presence of relatives in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and possible contacts with foreign intelligence services.
At the same time, the format of checks of Belarusians who travel to the EU without visas has changed. They are selectively asked to present residence permits.
On May 5, Belarus introduced border controls on the land border with Russia. People entering the country by car began to check the documents and trunks of cars.
