Lithuanian ForMin expresses protest over Lukashenko's statements near its border

VILNIUS – Lithuania's Foreign Ministry on Friday expressed its strong protest to Belarus over the recent statements made by the country's authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko when he visited troops at the Lithuanian border earlier this week.

The protest note was handed to Belarusian chargé d'affaires Yaroslav Khmyl after he was summoned to the Foreign Ministry.

According to the ministry, Lukashenko's statements included unjustifiable reproaches over Lithuania's alleged military threats to Belarus, insinuations regarding the Suwalki Corridor's undefendability, as well as instructions to prepare the Belarusian army for possible confrontation with the Baltic states and Poland.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania notes that such statements could be interpreted as a further escalation of the Belarusian government's aggressive foreign policy and are completely unacceptable," the statement reads.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs demands that Belarus immediately provide an official explanation for this statement by Lukashenko and reiterates that the Republic of Lithuania will take all possible measures to ensure the country's security, sovereignty and territorial integrity," it said.

Earlier this week, Minsk released a video of Lukashenko talking to an officer about how the Belarusian army is ready to attack parts of Poland or Lithuania, if necessary. He also instructed them not to relax as Belarus itself would be attacked.

Among other things, Lukashenko ridiculed the Baltic states' plans to fortify the border with Russia and Belarus, using counter-mobility measures.