Google News Ukraine delegation arrived by NATO helicopter in Belarus with Oleksii Reznikov
by SEAD DEDOVIC | VIEW 474
In one of the interviews, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov talked about the visit of the Ukrainian delegation to Belarus. The purpose of the visit was to negotiate with the Russians. However, as always, things did not end so successfully.
Reznikov and the others decided to go there by helicopter. "We came (to Belarus) in an interesting way. They offered to build a corridor for us to enter (Belarus) through the occupied part (of Ukraine). We said, 'Yes . . . We will go there as we see fit.'
We talked to to our Polish colleagues and our Polish colleagues supported us," Reznikov said. Reznikov arrived in Belarus via a NATO helicopter, which is really something special, considering that NATO helicopters did not have the opportunity to land on the soil of this country.
"We reached Poland, boarded NATO Black Hawk helicopters there and flew to Belarusian territory. We landed there and flew to our destination in Belarusian helicopters. I think it was the first time that NATO helicopters landed on Belarusian soil," -he continued.
Russian delegation
The Russian delegation was obstinate and their approach did not impress Reznikov. Oleksii was amazed that the Russians did not want to accept the fact that they had 3,000 dead soldiers. They believed that this was a huge figure and that the Ukrainians were not being honest on their part.
"I was amazed by the cynicism of the Russians. On the day we were at the negotiations, we already counted about 3,000 dead Russians. That's a lot! Three thousand dead, plus wounded. We sit and talk, and the negotiators sit on the other side.
I tell them, well, we agreed on the corridors, the withdrawal of the population, but what about the bodies of your dead - maybe we will give them to you for burial? Take them away, because we have nowhere to keep them. The head of the delegation turns to the deputy minister of defense, and he says: 'We do not confirm this, we have 10 or 20 or 30 dead.' The chief of defense turns to me and says: 'We don't confirm it. '-Reznikov concluded.
