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
in july last year, security forces in belarus arrested 33 suspected russian mercenaries accusing the creme limb of sending them to inflame government tensions in the country ahead of elections. the men were reported back to russia. but now stunning details of what former ukrainian intelligence officials say was a foiled ukrainian-led operation to capture and jail russian mercenaries linked to war crimes. matthew chance has our exclusive report. matthew, this sounds fascinating. reporter: it is fascinating, jim. we hear so much about russia carrying out covert operations. this is one conducted against them. it was a sting operation that went wrong, a failed attempt to identify and arrest suspected russian war criminals carried out by ukraine.