Authorities in Belarus say they have arrested 33 suspected Russian mercenaries believed to be plotting “terrorism” ahead of the country's 9 August presidential election.
Russia is seeking clarification on the arrests, a Kremlin spokesman said.
Dmitry Peskov said he knew nothing of a plot or the Wagner paramilitary group, which Belarus suspects of involvement.
President Alexander Lukashenko has been in power since 1994 and is seeking a sixth term in office.
He has exerted authoritarian control over Belarus in a style reminiscent of the Soviet era and has faced a wave of opposition protests over his re-election bid.
Since the collapse of the USSR in 1991 Russia has maintained close ties with Belarus and they have held joint military exercises.
The secretary of the Belarus Security Council, Andrey Rawkow, said investigators suspected as many as 200 Russian mercenaries had entered the country to “destabilise the situation during the election campaign”.
The Investigative Committee (SK), handling the case, says it is examining possible links between the Russian suspects and the jailed husband of opposition presidential candidate, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
Syarhey Tsikhanouski, a popular opposition blogger, is accused of trying to foment mass unrest, despite being in jail. He faces other charges too.
“Tsikhanouski, [Mikola] Statkevich and 33 detained Russian citizens – they acted together,” SK spokesman Sergei Kabakovich told the AFP news agency….
