Belarusian oppositionist Kolesnikova tore up her passport so as not to go to Ukraine
The Ukrainian Border Service confirmed that two members of the Belarusian opposition coordination council, Anton Rodnenkov and Ivan Kravtsov, crossed the border into Belarus tonight.
This is stated on the official website of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
At the checkpoint in the Kyiv region, they passed control measures and proceeded to the territory of Ukraine. Maria Kolesnikova, whose detention was reported today by the Belarusian Border Service, was not subject to control on the Ukrainian side.
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Anton Gerashchenko denied the version of the Belarusian authorities that the oppositionists tried to illegally break through the border, which is why Kolesnikova was detained.
“I’ll add from myself - this was not a voluntary trip!.. Maria Kolesnikova could not be taken out of Belarus, because this brave woman took measures to remain on the territory of the Republic of Belarus. Alexander Lukashenko personally bears full responsibility for her life and health,” Gerashchenko wrote on his Facebook.
Belarusian media specify that Kolesnikova tore up her passport in order to stay in the country. Her lawyer Maxim Znak believes that in this way the oppositionist was able to destroy the plans of the authorities.
“I am happy that Masha overcame all cunning plans and emerged victorious from this situation. I don’t know what happened - but I willingly believe that she tore up her passport or jumped out of the car... In any case, they didn’t succeed. Now they say that Masha has been detained - OK, that means our state bears responsibility for her. And now we’ll deal with the detention...
Apparently, Masha should be released in the near future - after all, yesterday she was not detained, but now there are no grounds for detention. Bravo, Masha, this is the best performance and a simply brilliant return to the legal plane,” Znak wrote on his Facebook.
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