‘Why Belarus acts as Russia’s vassal?’ Widow of killed ex-MP about FSB operation near Homiel
A day before the assassination of Russian ex-MP Denis Voronenkov, his driver was kidnapped by Russia’s FSB in the territory of Belarus, widow Maria Maksakova states.
Driver Vladislav Tikhankin was traveling from Moscow to Kyiv to through Belarus, Maksakova told Belsat TV. According to her, Tikhankin was stopped by Belarusian law enforcers in Homiel region.
“Vladislav was not far from the city of Homiel when he was stopped at a traffic police checkpoint and detained for an unknown reason. We kept calling. The Belarus police said they had neither claims against him nor intention to draw up a protocol on him. Indeed, they failed to make any report but said the State Border Service had some questions to him. But a completely different agency arrived,” Maksakova stressed.
Two hours later, a few cars and a Gazel minibus drove up. Representatives of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) jumped out of them.
“Vladislav was brutally detained, handcuffed and forcibly escorted to Russia’s Bryansk region. I do not know why Belarus behaves like some vassal helping Russia in its questionable dealings,” said the widow.
The ex-deputy of the State Duma and Communist party member Denis Voronenkov was killed in the Ukrainian capital on March, 23. In October 2016, Voronenkov and his wife, ex-deputy Maria Maksakova, fled their native country and moved to Ukraine. In early March, Basmanny Court of Moscow arrested Denis Voronenkov in absentia for real estate fraud. The politician, who was granted Ukrainian citizenship called his being prosecuted in Russia ‘illegal’ and ‘unfair’. Denis Voronenkov gave testimony over the case of the ousted president Viktor Yanykovych’s treason.
Vladislav Tikhankin was not involved in the fraud case, the widow says. She claims that the driver spent 12 hours in the FSB department of Bryansk region. Maria is indignant over the role the Belarusian side was playing in that sort of kidnapping.
“Although Belarus is an independent state, it provides shady services to Russian service. The operation was planned in detail. I am appealing to mass media because I have every confidence that if Alyaksandr Lukashenka initiated the investigation of the case, the details would immediately be disclosed. It would be a big and important assistance from his part. In turn, I will provide the investigators with all information and data. The incident which had happened for some 15 hours before the murder should be properly investigated to shed light on the tragic event on 23 March,” Maria Maksakova says.
Каtsyaryna Andreyeva, belsat.eu; photo – REUTERS
