The trial in the Mačuliščy case has begun in Minsk

On August 19, the trial in the high-profile Maculishey attack case began in the Minsk City Court. Twelve people, most of them in absentia, are simultaneously charged under 11 articles of the Criminal Code, including “act of terrorism” (part 3 of article 289 of the Criminal Code) and “treason” (part 1 of article 356 of the Criminal Code). They are accused of carrying out an attack in Maculishey in February 2023 that damaged a Russian A-50 aircraft. The case is being handled by Valiantsina Ziankevich behind closed doors.

The main participant in the incident and, according to official authorities and propagandists, also the perpetrator of the attack, Mikalai Shvetsevwas released in June as part of an exchange with Ukraine. His accomplices in Belarus are now facing long prison sentences. Shved himself is being tried in absentia.

The defendants are Maxim Lapazin, Andrei Stsiapurka, Aleh Sychou and his wife Anastasiya Pilko, Dzianis Sakalou. According to an ONT propaganda film, they were all assistants in the case, but they did not know exactly who Shvets was and what exactly he needed help with. So, Maksim Lapatsin drove Shvets from Stolin to the Lahojsk highway, Andrei Stsiapurka helped him find an apartment near Minsk, Aleh Sychou and Anastasiya Pilko rented him the apartment. And Dzianis Sakalou, who is an alleged informant, as Nasha Niva writes, allegedly helped deliver the drone and find a job for Mikalai Shvets.

Mikalai Shvetsev will be tried in absentia, together with Aliaksandr Azarau, Ala Yatsuta, Vital Yakutsik, Yauheniya Tachytskaya, Mikhail Dziomin, And Siarhei Loparau.

The defendants in the case are simultaneously charged with 11 articles of the Criminal Code: “Supporting extremist activities” (Part 1 of Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code), “Financing terrorist activities” (Part 1 of Article 290-1 of the Criminal Code), “Treason” (Part 1 of Article 356 of the Criminal Code), “Participating in acts that grossly violate public order” (Part 1 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code), “Acting as an agent” (Part 1 of Article 358 of the Criminal Code), “Causing a vehicle to malfunction” (Part 4 of Article 309 of the Criminal Code), “Act of terrorism” (Part 3 of Article 289 of the Criminal Code), “Creating or participating in an extremist formation” (Part 3 of 361-1 of the Criminal Code), “Financing an extremist formation” (Article 361-2 of the Criminal Code), “illegal acts related to explosives” (Part 4 of Article 295 of the Criminal Code), “training to participate in terrorist activities” (Article 290-3 of the Criminal Code).

As a reminder, on the morning of February 26, 2023, explosions occurred at the Maculishi airfield near an expensive Russian A-50 long-range reconnaissance aircraft, which was blown up in two places. It was used to target Russian missiles at targets in Ukraine. It was reported that the aircraft is currently being repaired at the 325th Aircraft Repair Plant, which is part of the Beriev Taganrog Aviation Scientific and Technical Complex in Russia.