Disinfo: Forcing down aircraft is common practice among special forces

Summary

Special forces of many countries divert or force aircraft to land in order to detain people of interest. Not only the Americans are known for this, but Israel, Turkey, Iran...

Disproof

The case with Ryanair FR4879 is unique, as the aircraft was intercepted by military fighter-jets, armed with air-to-air missiles. At no earlier occasion have national authorities mobilised the military in such a way to detain a wanted criminal.

Background:

Ryanair flight FR4978 was intercepted by military jets while en route from Athens to Vilnius. Minsk air control reported a bomb threat and requested the aircraft divert to Minsk. A Belarus Air Force MiG-29 forced the plane to divert to Minsk, while Vilnius airport was much closer.

At Minsk airport, a Belarusian opposition journalist, wanted in Belarus for unfounded charges of extremism, was arrested. His companion was detained as well. The plane was kept at the airport for seven hours before allowed to continue to Vilnius.

As a consequence the European Council demanded immediate release of Raman Pratasevich and Sofia Sapega and called on the International Civil Aviation Organization to investigate the incident. Further individual and economic sanctions are planned, as well as banning overflight of EU airspace by Belarusian airlines. Multiple airlines are avoiding Belarus airspace.

The incident is investigated as an act of terrorism by Lithuanian authorities.

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RIA (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 245
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 23/05/2021
  • Article language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Belarus, US, Iran, Turkey
  • Keywords: Terrorism, Ryanair Flight 4978
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