Belarus says diplomat hurt in London embassy 'attack'

Belarus said Monday one of its diplomats was injured following an attack on its embassy in London, amid international backlash over a migrant crisis the West blames on the ex-Soviet country.

Last night someone attacked the embassy of Belarus in London, Belarusian MFA reports. It claims that one of the diplomats had his nose and tooth broken and suffered a concussion. The UK Chargé d'Affaires in Minsk has been summoned to the Belarusian MFA. pic.twitter.com/q59qhsukbG

— Tadeusz Giczan (@TadeuszGiczan) December 20, 2021

Western countries accuse Belarus of engineering a migrant influx at its border with EU member Poland by letting thousands of people in and encouraging them to cross into the European Union as a form of retaliation against EU sanctions.

The Belarusian foreign ministry said in a statement that its embassy in London was attacked by suspects it suggested belonged to a "radical immigrant group".

It said they damaged the facade of the building and "physically attacked" diplomats who arrived at the scene.

One of the diplomats was taken to hospital with a broken nose, a mild concussion and a missing tooth, the ministry said.

Several of the attackers were detained by London police as they attempted to flee the scene by foot.

The attack "eloquently demonstrates the true face and methods of fanatics, whom a number of countries of the collective West are persistently trying to pass off as peaceful protesters," the statement said.

The ministry said it had summoned Britain's acting charge d'affaires and expressed its "strong protest" over the incident.

Tensions between Belarus and the West have been high in recent months, with Western leaders placing the blame for the migrant crisis on the regime of President Alexander Lukashenko.

Belarus, ruled by Lukashenko since 1994, has rejected the accusations.