Vilnius cites security risks for closing two of four border checkpoints.

Lithuania: Border posts with Belarus closed, borderers angry. AFP

Several dozen cars lined up in Sumskas at Lithuania’s border with Belarus Saturday ahead of the crossing’s closure next week.

Lithuania will shut two of its six border checkpoints with Belarus, including the crossing in Sumskas in response to escalating tensions between the neighbors.

Vilnius has warned of a provocations threat by Minsk as Russian mercenaries of the Wagner group are now based in Belarus following their short-lived rebellion in Russia.

“By granting shelter to the Wagner military group, Belarus has become a state that harbors a terrorist organization,” Lithuanian Deputy Foreign Minister Mantas Adomenas told reporters.

“New security challenges have emerged and we must take them into account,” he added.

For casual travelers, the reduction of the border crossings will mean extended waiting times at the remaining checkpoints, which will now also be shared with buses and trucks.

Some Lithuanians say they would need to abandon their excursions to Belarus completely.

Lithuanian authorities say around 230,000 Lithuanian citizens went to Belarus in the first half of 2023 despite political tensions and multiple warnings from the government to stay away from the authoritarian state.

This week, the government installed banners at all border checkpoints with Belarus bearing the inscription “Do not risk your safety — do not travel to Belarus. You may fail to come back.”

The officials in Vilnius say Minsk may be trying to recruit some travelers to Belarus for espionage, exert psychological pressure, or even blackmail the Lithuanian citizens by performing checks on their phones and social media.

“Every citizen of Lithuania who goes to Belarus must assess all the risks, including those to their health and life,” Rustamas Liubajevas, head of the border guard service, said.