Belarus ruler criticizes EU for sanctions

KYIV, Ukraine — Belarus’ authoritarian president lashed out Wednesday at Europe for trying to “strangle” his country with sanctions over the diversion of a passenger jet, and he accused a dissident journalist arrested after the flight landed in Minsk of working to foment a “bloody rebellion.”

In a long, rambling speech to lawmakers and top officials, President Alexander Lukashenko defended his decision to tell the Ryanair flight to land in his country, maintaining his contention that there was a bomb threat against it. He called it an “absolute lie” that a fighter jet he scrambled forced the plane to land.

European Union leaders have denounced the move as an act of air piracy. Ryanair has said its crew was instructed to land. The plane was searched on the ground, and no bomb was found — but Raman Pratasevich, a 26-year-old journalist and activist, and his Russian girlfriend were detained.

“I acted in a lawful way, protecting people in line with international rules,” said Lukashenko, who has ruled the ex-soviet nation with an iron fist for more than a quarter-century.

He fumed at the EU, accusing the West of waging what he said was “no longer just an information war but a modern hybrid war” against his country of 9.3 million.

Lukashenko doubled down on the idea that there was a grave security risk, saying the plane was not far from the Astravets nuclear power plant and that he had ordered air defense systems to high alert.

“We acted in strict accordance with aviation safety rules,” he said, claiming the crew hesitated for about a quarter hour15 minutes before following the Belarusian flight controllers’ directions to land in Minsk. “It’s the captain who makes a decision according to all instructions and rules.”