Ukraine's Energy Ministry banned electricity imports from Russia and Belarus, saying neither country was a member of the Energy Community of South-East Europe.

The warning was issued as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stoutly defended the action to divert the Ryanair aircraft to Minsk.

If the EU and the West as a whole do not react harshly and adequately to Lukashenko's trick, then not only Putin, but also Lukashenko, or both, will wipe their feet about this collective West.

Since the elections in August, Protasevich has allegedly been targeted by the Lukashenko regime and has had criminal charges filed against him for allegedly being a terrorist. In Belarus, terrorists can face the death penalty.