On September 15, Minsk / BELTA correspondent /. The defendant in the Minsk metro terrorist attack case, Vladislav Kovalev, partially pleaded guilty today at a court hearing, BELTA correspondent reports. He admitted his complicity in earlier incidents: explosions in apartment building entrances and on the facade of a children's library in Vitebsk. However, Kovalev denies the charge under Article 218 of the Criminal Code. Furthermore, he does not admit to the charge of failing to report a planned explosion in 2005: "I do not confirm my previous testimony that I knew about the impending crime." At the same time, he admitted to failing to report the explosion that was planned and occurred in 2008 in Minsk. Kovalev also admitted to illegal actions with explosives: "I admit it. I acquired TNT." His accomplice, Dmitry Konovalov, also partially pleaded guilty: "I admit my guilt in the explosion in the Minsk metro on April 11, 2011, and I also admit my guilt in the explosion on July 4, 2008." In addition, he admitted to illegal actions with explosives, but denies everything else. After this, the judge announced a recess until 11:00 on September 16. As reported, Konovalov is charged with over 30 counts under Part 1 of Article 289, Part 2 of Article 289, Part 3 of Article 289, Part 2 of Article 295, Part 3 of Article 295, Part 2 of Article 339, Part 3 of Article 339, Part 2 of Article 218, Part 1 of Article 14 and Part 3 of Article 339, Part 1 of Article 14 and Part 2 of Article 218 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus: committing terrorism, including that which resulted in loss of life, causing bodily harm of varying degrees of severity, other grave consequences, illegal actions with explosives and explosive devices, malicious and especially malicious hooliganism, intentional destruction and damage to property by generally dangerous means. Kovalev is accused of involvement in 15 counts under Part 6 of Article 16 and Part 3 of Article 289, Part 3 of Article 295, Part 3 of Article 339, Part 2 of Article 339, Part 2 of Article 218, Part 2 of Article 405, Part 2 of Article 406, Part 1 of Article 406 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus: complicity in the form of aiding and abetting and committing terrorism, committing malicious and especially malicious hooliganism, intentional destruction of property by generally dangerous means, and illegal actions with explosives. He is also accused of harbouring a person who committed a particularly grave crime, as well as failing to report committed and impending particularly grave crimes. The maximum penalty provided for by the most serious of the articles presented to Konovalov and Kovalev, Article 289 "Terrorism," is the death penalty. -0-

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