Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Belarus’s KGB security service said the detained men were members of the Wagner group, a shadowy private military firm. Belarusian security council chief Andrei Ravkov said the detainees face charges of preparing “terrorist acts”.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said claims that “organizations from Russia are sending people to destabilize the situation in Belarus” are “nothing but insinuations”. He said Russia and Belarus are close allies and partners.