Putin probably allowed Belarus to divert the Ryanair plane
Image Credit: shortpedia
Yale historian Timothy Snyder tweeted, "Belarus would not have hijacked an EU plane without Russian approval." A bogus bomb threat forced the Ryanair aircraft to divert its route and land in Minsk, Russia. After which Roman Protasevich, a Belarusian opposition journalist, was arrested. Belarus' activities were criticized by world leaders as state-sanctioned hijacking. Russia, on the other hand, continues to back Belarus.