MINSK -- The Belarusian State Border Committee says it has strengthened border controls, but entry and exit crossing points remain open despite a statement by President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, beleaguered by six weeks of mass protests demanding his resignation, that the country needed to take measures on its western edge.
"The border service has strengthened controls on the state border of the Republic of Belarus using tactical reserve forces," the committee said in a statement on September 18.
"At the same time, the entry and exit crossing points are functioning within their capacity," it said.
Polish border guards told the Reuters news agency on September 18 that they had seen no issues at the Polish-Belarusian border, while a spokesman for Ukraine’s State Border Guarding Service, Andriy Demchenko, said in a televised interview on September 18 that there were no signs of additional border guards or equipment on the Belarusian side that would indicate any intention to shut the border with Ukraine.
On September 17, Lukashenka, who has been challenged by weeks of mass protests over the results of an August 9 presidential election that opposition members and many western countries say was rigged, accused Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine of what he called attempts to ignite "a hot war" and said borders with those three countries needed to be shut down.
Border Crossing Points In Belarus Continue To Function After Lukashenka's Order To Shut Down Borders
Related
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.
Editors' Picks
Top Trending
1
The Rebuilding Of Kyiv's Navy, Far From Ukraine
2Ukrainian Artillery Unit Pounds Russian Forces Despite Ammunition Shortages
3Putin's Foils: The Other Three Names On The Russian Ballot
4Amid 'Repression And Intimidation,' Putin Posts 'Record' Election Win
5Michael Clarke: If Ukraine Can Survive The Year, 'Pendulum Could Shift' Against Russia
6The Azadi Briefing: Taliban's Investment In Iranian Port Signals Shift Away From Pakistan
7Live Briefing: Russia Invades Ukraine
8Europe To Use Frozen Russian Profits To Buy Arms For Ukraine
9In A Whirlwind Of War And Repression, Putin Set To Secure Six More Years In Power
10Six More Years For Putin. Five Things To Watch For.
Subscribe