“Martial law” imposed in Baranavichy because of Medvedev’s visit

• 29.09.2009, 13:28

Dwellers of the city are not allowed to go to work, and it is forbidden to leave the neighbouring villages.

In the connection with the visit of Russian president Dmitry Medvedev to Zapad 2009 military exercise, the life of Baranavichy is paralysed. The main street Savetskaya is cordoned off. As informed by “Nasha Niva”, the centre of the city is deserted, and it is impossible to get into Baranavichy.

Policemen do not even allow local citizens to get to their working places, if an enterprise is situated near the route of the Russian leaders.

In the village of Anisimavichy, which is situated on the exit road from the city at Brest-Moscow highway, policemen advised local citizens not to leave the village.

Policemen from the cordons were told to their weapons. There is a great quantity of secret services officers in plainclothes.

As we have informed, Dmitry Medevedev has arrived to Belarus for the final stage of Belarusian-Russian exercise Zapad 2009. Medvedev to observe the drills together with Lukashenka at the firing range near Baranavichy.

The visit of Dmitry Medvedev to Belarus is to last one day, and it is still unknown whether the bilateral talks of the two leaders are to take place. During his recent speech in Pittsburgh University, Russian president noted that “in the closest time on return from the US” he plans to “discuss all kinds of issues” with Alyaksandr Lukashenka.