On 28 September 2021, Andrei Zeltser, a Belarusian IT worker, was killed in Minsk by members of the State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus (Belarusian KGB) who conducted a raid on his apartment. After a door breaching, a shootout took place, in which Zeltser fatally shot Dmitry Fedosyuk, a KGB agent from the Alpha Group unit.[1] Zeltser was subsequently killed by the KGB.[2][3] Zeltser was subsequently called a "terrorist" by the government.[4] According to the state-owned Belarusian Telegraph Agency, "members of an extremist group with ties to the opposition, supposedly, lived in the apartment", referring to Zeltser, 31, and his wife, who was arrested.[5][6]
More than a hundred people were detained in the aftermath of the event, in connection to social media comments, and some were subsequently given prison sentences.
- ^ "«Товарищи белорусы, как ваши деды победили на войне?». Айтишник застрелил бойца «Альфы» КГБ в собственной квартире в Минске и погиб сам. Главное о несостыковках в этой истории". Новая газета (in Russian). 29 September 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
BConductswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Belarus opposition says man killed in shootout was IT worker". Reuters. 29 September 2021.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
BMasswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Belarus blocks news site after deaths of dissident, KGB". Associated Press. 29 September 2021.
- ^ "Man shot dead by Belarusian KGB worked for US software firm". The Guardian. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2022.