⁍ Belarus is in a political crisis following an Aug. 9 presidential election marred by vote-rigging allegations.
⁍ Lukashenko says he won re-election fairly and is the victim of a smear campaign by the West.
– Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko says he’s closing his country’s borders with Poland and Lithuania, Reuters reports. “We are compelled to withdraw our troops from the streets, have half our army on guard, and close our state border with the West, first of all with Lithuania and Poland,’ Lukashenko said in a speech at a women’s forum in Minsk. “To our greatest regret, we are compelled to strengthen our border with brotherly Ukraine.” “We don’t know what this (announcement) means,” said Lithuania’s foreign affairs minister. “Will they close border to cargo, or people, or something else? … We need to wait and see what the announcement means and how it is implemented.”
Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-belarus-election-lukashenko-border/belarus-to-close-border-with-poland-and-lithuania-lukashenko-idUSKBN2682XB