Belarus did not intercept or force landing of Ryanair plane: Belta, citing president

Belarus did not intercept, re-route or force the landing of a Ryanair plane last year, President Alexander Lukashenko was quoted by the state news agency Belta as saying on Friday.

The comments are the first response from Minsk after four Belarusian government officials were charged in the United States with aircraft piracy for diverting a Ryanair flight last May to arrest a dissident journalist.