• Andrei Ravkov, the head of State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus speaks to the media in Minsk on Thursday. Belarusian authorities opened a criminal case against 33 Russian private military contractors detained earlier this week on charges of plotting a terrorist act. | AP
    Andrei Ravkov, the head of State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus speaks to the media in Minsk on Thursday. Belarusian authorities opened a criminal case against 33 Russian private military contractors detained earlier this week on charges of plotting a terrorist act. | AP

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MINSK – Belarus said it suspected a group of alleged Russian mercenaries of plotting “acts of terrorism” ahead of a presidential election in August and summoned Russia’s ambassador on Thursday for an explanation.

State TV on Wednesday broadcast footage of more than 30 suspected Russian private military contractors being detained near Minsk after authorities said they had received information that more than 200 fighters had entered the country to destabilize it ahead of the Aug. 9 election.

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