Uskhopchyk: It’s rather risky to visit EU countries

• 28.07.2011, 2:55

General Uladzimir Uskhopchyk, who is suspected of intended killing and attempted coup d’etat by Lithuanian authorities, does not find his actions criminal.

It was stated by the former commander of Vilnius garrison of the Soviet Army in 1991 who is hiding from Lithuanian justice in a Russian newspaper Vzglyad. He commented on detention of the former commander of Alfa squad Mikhail Golovatov in Austria.

“This officer carried out the order, he adhered to his oath. In 1991 we carried out the order given by the Supreme Commander. I know that they had been executing the order in a proper way, without ammunition. No one had been given ammunition supplies. But to prove that in Europe today is impossible, so it is rather risky to visit the EU countries,” stated the former deputy Defence Minister of Belarus Uladzimir Uskhopchyk.

Since 1993 representatives of the prosecutor’s office of Lithuania regularly demanded Belarusian authorities to extradite Uskhopchyk in connection with 1991 events. Prosecutor General of Lithuania Rolandas Tilindis said in 2009 that Uladzimir Uskhopchyk and some other persons remain suspects in the case which had not been closed yet:

“The tanks from the division under Uskhopchyk’s command could not appear near the TV tower without his knowledge or consent. So we believe we have grounds to ask questions about our suspicions.”