US Embassy in Minsk urges Americans to leave Belarus

VILNIUS - The United States Embassy in Minsk on Monday urged American citizens to leave Belarus.

The embassy's warning came in response to Lithuania's closure of the Sumskas and Tvereius border crossings with Belarus as Lithuania, Latvia and Poland also mull closing other crossings with the neighboring country.

In the issued statement, the embassy urges American citizens should depart immediately, consider departing via the remaining border crossings with Lithuania and Latvia, or by plane. US citizens are also warned that they are not permitted to enter Poland overland from Belarus.

American citizens are also warned not to travel to Belarus as Minsk "due to Belarusian authorities’ continued facilitation of Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine, the buildup of Russian military forces in Belarus, the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, the potential of civil unrest, the risk of detention, and the Embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Belarus".

American citizens are also told not to travel to Ukraine or Russia.

Lithuania closed two of its six border checkpoints with Belarus last week, citing the need to curb smuggling and the threat posed by Wagner mercenaries in Belarus. Vilnius is also concerned about Lithuanian citizens travelling to Belarus, with officials warning that some of them are being recruited, blackmailed and subjected to psychological pressure by the Minsk structures.