Arrests Of Alleged Russian Mercenaries Cause Sensation Amid Belarusian Election Campaign
- By Ray Furlong
Belarusian authorities have released dramatic video of a raid in which dozens of alleged Russian mercenaries were detained by security forces. The Belarusian government announced they were suspected terrorists, and state media said the men were seeking to "destabilize" the country ahead a presidential election on August 9. But some have suggested the raid was a political ploy aimed at sucking momentum out of an opposition candidate's campaign.