BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

07/05/2006

Foreign Ministry urges Belarus to explain air space violation

By TBT staff

VILNIUS - The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry has urged Belarus to explain the recent air space violation by a Belarusian Air Force helicopter, which illegally broke into Lithuanian territory twice in mid-June.

The request was written in a note handed over to Belarusian officials, said Violeta Gaizauskaite, director of the ministry's information and public relations department, following a statement from the Defense Ministry that published the results of an investigation into the June 19 incident.

Carried out by the Lithuanian Air Force and approved by Acting Defense Minister Gediminas Kirkilas, the investigation concluded that the violation was visually recorded. However, the Mi-8 military helicopter's flight, due to its low altitude, was not recorded by Lithuania's Air Space Surveillance and Control Agency radars.

The probe neither verified or refuted suspicion that the violation was a provocation.

Members of the investigation commission interrogated witnesses - officers of the State Border Guard Service and local residents who saw the flight. But investigation conclusions are classified as they analyze actions of Lithuanian military units.

Lithuanian border guards noticed the Belarusian helicopter on June 19, and subsequently informed Air Force officers and prosecutors about the suspected violation. According to press reports, the helicopter flew some three kilometers into Lithuania, maneuvered for more than 10 minutes and flew back to Belarus. About 20 minutes later, the Belarusian aircraft returned but entered approximately 100 meters into Lithuanian territory.

Upon spotting the incident, border guards called Air Force officers. The officers, in turn, got in touch with the Belarusian Air Force through a hotline and informed them about the violation. At first, Belarusia denied that any planes were flying in the area. But after a second call, they confirmed that there were planned border observation flights, but denied the fact of airspace violation.

The incident occurred during a joint Belarusian-Russian exercise Joint Shield 2006.

Source:

http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/15783/

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