{"id":192392,"date":"2026-06-18T14:28:03","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T11:28:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/192392\/"},"modified":"2026-06-18T14:28:06","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T11:28:06","slug":"lukasenka-identifies-drone-as-ukrainian-warns-against-premature-conclusions","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/192392\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0141uka\u0161enka identifies drone as Ukrainian, warns against premature conclusions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Acting Bryansk Governor Yegor Kovalchuk's Telegram channel)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

June 18, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka claimed during a meeting with military officials on Thursday that a Ukrainian drone was used in Wednesday\u2019s deadly attack on a Belarusian tour bus in Russia, while also warning against drawing premature conclusions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are in no hurry to draw conclusions, but we clearly state the fact that this was a drone of Ukrainian origin \u2014 this was a Ukrainian drone,\u201d the Belarusian ruler was quoted as saying by his press office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He questioned Ukraine\u2019s claims that it has nothing to do with the incident and that there were no Ukrainian strikes on the Bryansk province on Wednesday. According to \u0141uka\u0161enka, the driver said he saw several drones buzzing over the bus, and that one of them \u2014 \u201cthank God, not a powerful one\u201d \u2014 struck the vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka noted that \u201cconspiracy theories\u201d abound, with Ukrainians suggesting that the drone might have been \u201cpurchased by someone\u201d or that it could have been \u201csome kind of provocation\u201d by Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He warned that if \u201csomeone is provoking Belarus and trying to drag it into the war,\u201d it will \u201cend badly for those who are trying to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka signaled that Belarus\u2019s response would be restrained, stressing that \u201cwe are acting calmly.\u201d He blamed such incidents on \u201csomeone\u201d who \u201cdoesn\u2019t like that Belarus is a quiet state.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka called on Ukraine to provide a \u201cfair and honest answer\u201d to Belarus\u2019s questions. He said that Russia had expressed readiness to assist Minsk with the investigation and that \u201cwe will get to the truth anyway \u2014 this will not be difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka described the situation on the border with Ukraine as more volatile than ever before and cited it as justification for his decision to strengthen security in southern Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One person was reportedly killed and eight people, including six children, sustained blast injuries of varying severity in the drone attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Homiel Regional Executive Committee, five Belarusian children and one adult will be transferred to medical institutions in Minsk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One child reportedly underwent surgery overnight and is being transported to the Belarusian capital on life support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wounded children will receive treatment at the National Child Surgery Center, while the injured adult will be treated at the Main Military Medical Clinical Center of the Armed Forces. The condition of the child who underwent surgery and the adult was described as \u201cserious.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All patients, except the child mentioned above, are conscious, able to communicate, and showing signs of improvement, with a positive outlook for recovery despite shrapnel wounds, the report added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Viktoryja Haro\u0161ka, the wife of a coach from the Re\u010dyca sports school for children, was killed in the attack. Originally from Ukraine, she had lived in Belarus for a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two passenger buses departed from Re\u010dyca for Russia\u2019s Gelendzhik early Wednesday morning, carrying about 90 people in total, including 41 children. Around 11:00 a.m., a passenger informed city authorities about a drone attack in the Bryansk province. The bus that was hit reportedly carried 43 passengers, including 28 children enrolled in football programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trip to Russia was organized as an annual summer retreat funded by parents. According to the Homiel Regional Football Federation, a different route is usually used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine denied involvement, stating that Ukrainian forces did not use unmanned aerial vehicles against targets in Russia\u2019s Bryansk region on the day the bus was hit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian parliament\u2019s Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets wrote on Telegram on Wednesday evening that he had \u201curgently contacted\u201d Belarusian authorities and received \u201cpreliminary information\u201d about the incident. Lubinets \u201cstrongly emphasized\u201d that Ukraine \u201chas absolutely nothing to do with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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