Activist fined for picketing against Belarus’ hosting military exercise Zapad-2017
A Minsk court heard the case of Leanid Kulakou who was accused of taking part in an unsanctioned protest rally against holding the joint Russian-Belarusian war game Zapad 2017 in our country.
Judge Ina Sidarok found that Kulakou’s participating in the picket was an administrative offense. She imposed BYN 690 on the activist, spring96.org reports.
The picket took place on July 7 in Kastrychnitskaya Square in Minsk. 10-15 persons showed up at the event initiated by activist Maxim Vinyarski.
On July 27, Volha Nikalaichyk was fined for participating in the protest.
The Zapad (West-2017) war game is scheduled for September, 14-20. It will be the final stage of the joint training of the armed forces of the two countries this year.
Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite and a number of European politicians believe that the ‘West-2017’ demonstrates the preparation of Belarus and Russia to the war with the West. In mid April, Oleksandr Turchynov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, stressed that the joint military exercise might become the preparation for an assault against Ukraine in September.
