The Belarusian head of state hands over arms to half the army and closes the borders with Lithuania and Poland.

Belarus will close its border with Lithuania and Poland and strengthen border protection with Ukraine, Alexander Lukashenko announced in Minsk on Thursday night.

The President of Belarus, quoted by Russian news agency RIA Novostyi, said:

forced to withdraw soldiers from the streets, hand over arms to half the army and close the western borders and the border section with Ukraine in the east.

Lukashenko also called on the Lithuanian, Polish and Ukrainian peoples not to allow their politicians to start a “hot” war.

In Belarus, the mood has been warm since the presidential elections on August 9, after Lukashenko fraudulently obtained his sixth term. (According to official figures, the Belarusian head of state has pocketed about 80 percent of the vote.)

After the elections, a serious demonstration began; several protesters were beaten and detained, from whom they were released only days later. Some have also reported brutal torture.



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