Lithuania has decided to temporarily close two of its six checkpoints with Belarus this week amid growing tensions with its eastern neighbor, an ally of Russia.
Lithuania, a Baltic nation that declared its independence from the Soviet Union 33 years ago, is a democracy that belongs to NATO and the European Union. It has been a strong backer of Ukraine and a place of refuge in recent years for many who have fled an authoritarian crackdown in neighboring Belarus and increased repression in Russia.
In neighboring Latvia, the State Border Guard Service said Tuesday it was mobilizing additional border guards to strengthen the protection of the external state border, the LETA news agency said. Latvian authorities consider attempts by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko’s regime to push migrants across borders to be methods of hybrid warfare targeting these countries.
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