FSB officers shoot dead Belarusian activist in Karelia who they say was preparing terror attack

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that its agents shot dead a citizen of Belarus in the northwestern Russian region of Karelia on Wednesday, Telegram channel ASTRA reported on Thursday.

The FSB said that a man they identified as 49-year-old activist Nikolai Alekseyev had been preparing to blow up an administrative building in the Karelian town of Olonets on the orders of the Ukrainian security services. The agency also alleged that Alekseyev was a member of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and was on the wanted list. 

In the FSB’s account of events, Alekseyev opened fire on law enforcement officers as they attempted to arrest him, after which he was shot dead. The publication says that an improvised explosive device and a pistol and ammunition were found in Alekseyev’s possession. 

One of Alekseyev’s four sons confirmed his father’s death to independent Belarus news outlet Our Niva.

Alekseyev is known to have participated in protests against Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko in 2020 and to have been critical of him on social networks.