THE BelarusRussia’s ally, today banned imports from Lithuania several types of goods, in retaliation for the closure of border crossings from this Baltic country.

This ban affects food products and alcoholic beverages, categories of electrical household appliances and construction materials, clothing, spare parts for vehicles, according to a statement issued by the government.

This measure “constitutes a response to the decision” taken at the beginning of March Vilnius to “stop the movement of goods, means of transport and people through two border crossing points”, it is clarified.

Lithuania, which is a big supporter of it Ukrainian in its conflict with Russia, it had already closed two first border crossings with Belarus last year.

The relationships between him Minsk and Vilnius are tense after the 2020 presidential election in Belarus, which secured a new term for Alexander Lukashenko despite unprecedented protests.

Lithuania then welcomed the leader of the Belarusian opposition, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, as well as other dissidents and tens of thousands of other Belarusian citizens.

Vilnius also accuses Minsk of instrumentalizing irregular migrants by urging them to cross the borders of Lithuania and Poland through the territory of Belarus in order to destabilize European countries.