Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has claimed that a Russian spy was secretly placed onboard a Ryanair flight FR4978, which was compelled to land unexpectedly. The aircraft, en route from Athens to Vilnius, Lithuania, was intercepted by a MiG-29 warplane upon entering Belarusian airspace and was coerced to land under false pretenses of a bomb threat.
Following the incident in 2021, two individuals labeled as Lukashenko’s “opponents” were apprehended upon the plane’s landing in Minsk. Subsequently, it was revealed that one of them was a Russian intelligence operative. The Boeing 737-800, carrying 132 passengers, underwent an emergency landing in what was described as a “state-sponsored hijacking.”
Among the detainees were well-known Russian “dissident” Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega, a Russian citizen. Lukashenko, a strong associate of Vladimir Putin, alleged that Protasevich was, in fact, a Russian agent masquerading as an opposition figure running an anti-Lukashenko Telegram channel.
Protasevich was purportedly operating covertly within the exiled opposition groups. Lukashenko defended the detention, stating that Protasevich’s supposed opposition status was a façade. Despite Lukashenko’s assertions, Protasevich appeared on state television in June 2021, admitting to his alleged crimes and expressing admiration for Lukashenko while displaying signs of physical harm.
Tourists aboard the flight discovered they were bound for Belarus by a fighter jet in 2021. Once Protasevich and Sapega were removed from the aircraft in restraints, the plane was allowed to proceed to Vilnius.
Protasevich was later charged with inciting mass unrest and extremist activities, receiving an eight-year prison sentence in May 2023. He was subsequently pardoned by Lukashenko, indicating potential collaboration with Belarusian authorities. Sapega faced charges of inciting social animosity and unauthorized collection and dissemination of personal information, resulting in an eight-year prison term. However, she was pardoned after 13 months and permitted to return to Russia, reportedly unaware of Protasevich’s alleged dual identity.
As a consequence of the forced landing of the Ryanair jet, substantial sanctions were imposed on Lukashenko, significantly impacting Belarus’s economy. The sanctions, including those targeting Belarus’s national airline Belavia, remain in effect.
Protasevich confirmed being an intelligence officer as claimed by Lukashenko but refrained from elaborating further. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary characterized the incident as a “state-sponsored hijacking,” highlighting the pressure placed on the pilot to divert the aircraft to Minsk. The Belarusian state security service, known as the KGB, retains elements of its Soviet-era legacy.