German sentenced to death in Belarus for ‘terrorism’ says he received orders from Ukraine

Man criticises Berlin for ‘doing nothing’ to free him, in video released by Belarusian authorities

Jul 26. () –

Belarusian authorities have published a video of a German citizen sentenced to death for acts of “terrorism” in which he claims to have received orders from the Ukrainian intelligence services, although the German government has not yet commented on the case.

The man, identified as Rico Krieger, claims that “the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) used him to carry out tasks in Minsk” and specifies that “they said they would contact the German government and that I could join a foreign military formation,” the Belarusian news agency BelTA reported.

“I now think that the SBU used me to carry out tasks that they needed in Minsk. I didn’t receive any money from them, I did everything with my own money. At the time, it didn’t seem strange to me. The German media constantly say that you have to trust the Ukrainian authorities, and that’s what I did,” he says.

He admits that he left a backpack with an explosive at a train station after being ordered to do so by Ukraine and is “relieved” that the attack ended without casualties. “It was the biggest mistake of my life, and probably the last,” he says.

Krieger also criticised the German government for “doing nothing” to help him. “I have met with German diplomats and they say that in this case the government can do nothing,” he explained, before expressing his hope that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko would grant him a pardon.

“I fear that if I am executed, my body will not be returned to Germany and that my relatives will not even be able to say goodbye to me. I dream of seeing my girlfriend, my homeland and my parents at least once more, but the German authorities are not doing anything at all,” he says.

The man was sentenced to death in June, although the verdict was only made public a month later through human rights organisations. Belarus is the only country in Europe that continues to pass capital sentences. Berlin has said it is aware of the case and has assured that the convicted man is receiving consular assistance.

Krieger was arrested in Belarus on 6 November, accused of being part of the ‘Kastus Kalinovsky’ regiment, an opponent of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and, by extension, Moscow, who fight alongside Ukrainian forces. However, the regiment denies that there was a German in its ranks.