The plane was on its way off the runway when asked to turn around Monday night. Shortly thereafter, the organization said, Russian intelligence services arrested regime critic Andrei Pivovarov.

Pivovarov led the “Open Russia” group financed by the Russian oligarchy, but said on Thursday that the group was closing its doors to protect its members.

You pass through passport control

In 2017, the London-based group was described by Russian authorities as undesirable, and all activities were banned in Russia.

However, members of the group in Russia continued to operate under the same name after the ban, but as a separate legal entity to protect themselves from prosecution.

Pivovarov must have successfully checked-in and passed passport control, but must have been caught inside the plane itself.

According to the news site polennu.dk The plane was on its way to the Polish capital Warsaw when it was ordered to turn around the runway.

A similar incident

The accident comes just a week after the Belarusian authorities were forced to land a plane bound for Poland in Minsk. Belarusian opposition activist Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend were arrested.

This has led to international condemnation. But not from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who supports the actions of Belarus.