Belarus' Lukashenko orders closure of border with Ukraine - BelTA

"A huge amount of weapons is coming from Ukraine to Belarus. That's why I ordered border-security forces to fully close the border with Ukraine," Lukashenko said. Belarus' stand-off with the West intensified recently after it scrambled a warplane to force a Ryanair flight to land in order to arrest a government critic who was on the aircraft.

Belarus' leader Alexander Lukashenko ordered on Friday the full closure of Belarus' border with neighbouring Ukraine, citing security reasons, BelTA state news agency reported.

Lukashenko told a gathering marking the country's Independence Day that rebel groups that were planning to carry out a coup were uncovered in Belarus, BelTA reported. "A huge amount of weapons is coming from Ukraine to Belarus. That's why I ordered border-security forces to fully close the border with Ukraine," Lukashenko said.

Belarus' stand-off with the West intensified recently after it scrambled a warplane to force a Ryanair flight to land in order to arrest a government critic who was on the aircraft. Western countries condemned this move and imposed sanctions to punish Belarus.