Russian FSB says attempts to topple, kill Belarusian president foiled

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the 74th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II in Minsk, Belarus, May 9, 2019. (Xinhua/Wei Zhongjie)

Zyankovich went to the United States and Poland for consultations.

MOSCOW, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said Saturday that it had detained two members of the Belarusian opposition who were plotting a military coup, including assassination, against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

U.S. and Belarusian citizen Yuri Zyankovich and Belarusian citizen Alexander Feduta met secretly with so-called "Belarusian generals" at a Moscow restaurant to discuss details of the coup scheduled on May 9, when a Victory Day parade will be held in Minsk.

With the involvement of Belarusian and Ukrainian nationalists, the radicals planned a "color revolution" with measures including assassinating Lukashenko, seizing radio and television stations, and shutting down electricity to hinder the actions of law enforcers.

Before the meeting in Moscow, Zyankovich went to the United States and Poland for consultations, according to the FSB.

After documenting the secret meeting, Russian security agencies detained the conspirators and handed them over to Belarusian counterparts.  ■