The commander of the Belarusian Air Force, Igor Golub, denied, on Monday, accusations of forcing the Irish “Ryanair” plane to divert its course to Minsk airport.
“All airspace surveillance data were documented in the integrated automation equipment, and if a decision was made by the Defense Ministry leadership, it could be presented to the media. At 13.04, the plane took off from the runway and there was no force to divert the plane,” Golub said in a press release. On its course to Belarus. The plane was on its way to land. ”
He added, “It is unfair to say that the plane landed under duress from the air traffic controllers.”
For his part, the Director of the Aviation Administration in the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic, Artyom Sikorsky, said that the information published in the media that the plane was threatened with the use of air-to-air missiles does not correspond to reality.
He continued, “We strictly follow all international civil aviation standards. There have been no threats to shoot down an aircraft.”
The press secretary of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Anatoly Glaz, said that the actions of the Belarusian authorities in the accident of the Ryanair plane were in compliance with international standards, and Minsk was ready to receive experts to dismiss the accusations.