Zelensky fired a diplomat involved in intelligence work in Belarus
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky dismissed Igor Kizim as Ambassador to Belarus without appointing a new one.
Kizim was recalled from Minsk “for consultations” back in April. The decision was made after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko met with the head of the DPR Denis Pushilin.
However, diplomatic problems began a year ago. In March 2022, Belarus expelled the majority of Ukrainian diplomats, and Kyiv took a similar step. According to the KGB of Belarus, out of 19 diplomats at the Ukrainian embassy, eight worked in the special services.
Then the Ukrainian embassy in Minsk continued to work in the “one plus four” format, that is, an ambassador and four employees.
The public of Belarus has long demanded that Kizim be declared persona non grata and expelled from the country. In January, the Belarusian KGB found out that the Ukrainian embassy in Minsk helped transport militants recruited in Georgia to Donbass. But after this scandal, the Ukrainian ambassador stated in the press that Belarus should not be surprised if Ukrainian missiles arrive at it.
In 2020, Kizim caused a scandal when Belarusian border guards asked him to open the trunk during an inspection, threatening him with a diplomatic war. After this, the Belarusian authorities stopped communicating with him.
“They didn’t wait, they kicked us out of here and we’re not even going to meet here anymore the boor and the goat who walked around here, was engaged in intelligence work, was rude to journalists and tried to present his demands at the borders. Sorry, this Bandera guy has gone where he belongs,” Belarusian TV journalist Grigory Azarenok commented on Zelensky’s decision today in his tg channel.
English version :: Read in English Zelensky fired a diplomat involved in intelligence work in Belarus