arresting this group of alleged russian mercenaries, suspected . translator: we got confirmed intel. these russians had real combat experience and actually took part in armed conflicts. this heavily-disguised belarusian police commander warned at the time. what he didn t know is why this mysterious group of russians was really there, until now. when they re driving to an undisclosed location on the out skirts of kyiv, the ukrainian capital, set to meet former intelligence officials who have an extraordinary story about what actually went down in belarus and how those russian mercenaries were, in fact, part of an elaborate ukrainian-led
year. we got confirmed intel these russians had real combat experience. actually took part in armed conflicts. this heavily disguised belorussian police commander warned at the time. what he didn t know is why this mysterious group of russians was really there. few did until now. all right. well, we re now driving to an undisclosed location on the outskirts of kiev, ukrainian capital. but we re set to meet a group of former ukrainian and military intelligence officials who have an extraordinary story about what actually went down in belarus. and about how those russian mercenaries were, in fact, part of an elaborate ukrainian-led sting operation to capture suspected russian war criminals to bring them to justice here. the former high-ranking officers
security forces in belarus arrested 33 suspected russian mercenaries accusing the kremlin of sending them to inflame government tensions in the country ahead of presidential elections. the men were paraded on state tv in belarus before being deported back to russia. cnn can reveal stunning details of what they say was not a failed attempt by moscow to meddle in the elections but a ukrainian-led operation to capture and jail russian mercenaries linked to war crimes. cnn s matthew chance has this exclusive report. reporter: the dramatic raid in a minsk hotel was all overstate tv. belorussian special forces shown
story. with all kinds of twists and turns. and matthew chance has our exclusive report. reporter: john, thanks very much. well, we hear so much about russian covert operations. well, this is one that was conducted against them, a sting operation that went dramatically wrong. a failed attempt to identify and capture suspected russian war criminals, carried out by ukraine but apparently with the full knowledge of the united states. [ speaking in foreign language ] reporter: the dramatic raid in a hotel was all over state tv. belorussian special forces shown arresting this group of alleged russian mercenaries, experienced fighters is how they were described suspected of being sent by moscow to disrupt elections in the countries last
they commit to you that they would follow through on whatever they promised? i had more meetings in the state department and the white house. and i was surprised how involved officials are in this situation in belarus. of course i updated information about the situation in our country, about violence, escalaing of the violence by the regime. and i asked to put pressure on the regime with the help of sanction, stronger sanctions, to make regime answer to our calls for dialogue. and on the other hand, our people are suffering greatly on the ground and those who had to flee. and we need to increase assistance to those who are fighting on the ground, to mass media, to political prisons, of