Da Belarusian thread

[grumbler]

Should the Ryanair pilot have told the MiGs to fuck off?  Honest question.

Under the circumstances, the pilot's obligation to the safety of his passengers was greater than his obligation to get them to the destination on time.  Had he known that a passenger was going to be kidnapped, then his decision becomes a lot more difficult... but he didn't know that.

[Josquius]

Apparently it was at the last possible moment just as the plane would have crossed into Lithuanian airspace that they turned around.
I do suspect the pilot tried to stay on course a while  and the kgb guys on the plane pulled out something bad.

[grumbler]

Apparently it was at the last possible moment just as the plane would have crossed into Lithuanian airspace that they turned around.
I do suspect the pilot tried to stay on course a while  and the kgb guys on the plane pulled out something bad.

Yeah, the procedure in the vent of an actual bomb threat would have been to land at the closest airport, Vilnius Airport.

Since there's almost certainly security video footage of the hijackers in Athens, and I wonder if the Rusians/Belorusians made sure that their hijackers were not known to Western intelligence. 

I wonder if the lawtalkers here know enough international law to know whether Ireland has jurisdiction to request the apprehension and deportation of the hijackers, or whether Belarus alone has jurisdiction.

[Sheilbh]

Mono's (naive/informed?) belief in rule of law in HK seems irrelevant to air piracy in Belarus.

Although - thinking about it this incident is more attention grabbing and affected 180 or so other citizens of various (mainly European) countries. But it's not a million miles away from the way other authoritarian states - Russia and China - have tried to make it clear that even if dissidents or journalists or opponents get to the West that doesn't necessarily mean they're safe. Whether it's the actions of Chinese intelligence agencies against Hong Kong dissidents and critics in Canada or Australia, or the Skripal poisoning, or the Prague bombing, or the planned murder of Belarussian dissidents now living in Germany.

I think it is all part of an effort to make the world safe for autocracies by reducing the safe spaces available for their opponents.

Separately EU has also agreed to close airspace to the Belarussian carrier and recommend European fligths avoid Belarussian airspace. They've agreed in principle to sanctions but haven't yet decided the targets - this was something I missed on the UK's actions yesterdays, they have also imposed sanctions on 99 individuals and companies. Hopefully the key is to now expand this effort to other NATO allies.

Interestingly, Turkey approved the sale of military drones to Poland and their airforce will be joining a NATO deployment in Lithuania - so it feels like Putin's attempts to court Turkey have been less effective than hoped.

[celedhring]

I understand that closing airspace to Belarusian planes is a high-impact move and we kinda need that in light of what's been done, but I feel we shouldn't be making more to difficult to get the fuck out from that place 

I also wonder if Belarus is enroute to becoming Europe's North Korea.

[Maladict]

Belarus manages to unite the EU, that's no small feat these days. You'd almost hope they pull more of these stunts.

[Liep]

So apparently the threat made from the KGB agents was that the bomb would activate over Vilnius. Hamas has always hated those zionistic Lithuanians.

[grumbler]

So apparently the threat made from the KGB agents was that the bomb would activate over Vilnius. Hamas has always hated those zionistic Lithuanians.

It would have to be timed, or a suicide mission.  Either way, it is absurd that the bomb would go off on the shorter trip to Vilnius than the longer trip to Minsk.  Such a threat is a transparent lie that isn't expected to be believed.

I do kind of admire the balls of Lukashenko in keeping the KGB name, though.  It's so much more ominous a name than "FSB."  Dictators who don't hide the fact that they are dictators are tight.

[Sheilbh]

Obviously this remains very serious - but amazing story of a Greek passenger who was actually travelling to Minsk and was changing at Vilnius. After the plane was basically hijacked he just decided to get off and it was surprisingly convenient for him

[Monoriu]

Obviously this remains very serious - but amazing story of a Greek passenger who was actually travelling to Minsk and was changing at Vilnius. After the plane was basically hijacked he just decided to get off and it was surprisingly convenient for him

Hope he gets a refund of his Vilnius to Minsk ticket.

[Syt]

[The Brain]

Obviously this remains very serious - but amazing story of a Greek passenger who was actually travelling to Minsk and was changing at Vilnius. After the plane was basically hijacked he just decided to get off and it was surprisingly convenient for him

Cui bono?

[celedhring]

Obviously this remains very serious - but amazing story of a Greek passenger who was actually travelling to Minsk and was changing at Vilnius. After the plane was basically hijacked he just decided to get off and it was surprisingly convenient for him

I had something similar happen in a flight to LA that was diverted to Albuquerque after a fight (yeah) broke out in the plane. There was a guy that was actually going to Albuquerque and offboarded the plane there 

[The Larch]

Sadly it seems than online tankies in the West are continuing the dirty work of the Belorussian KGB and smear attacks on the detained guy have started already, painting the guy as, of course, a closeted neo nazi.

[Josquius]

Obviously this remains very serious - but amazing story of a Greek passenger who was actually travelling to Minsk and was changing at Vilnius. After the plane was basically hijacked he just decided to get off and it was surprisingly convenient for him

This is where the investigation must focus.

Surprised he was allowed to do this though. I recall a friend telling me how they had to land in London when flying to Manchester due to a medical emergency. They tried to just get off there as they figured with all the faff it'd be just as quick for getting back home and it was a business trip anyway so who cares about cost....
They were told no. You have to go to Manchester.