MOSCOW (Reuters) -Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Tuesday that Lithuania’s closure of the border with Belarus was a “crazy scam” and accused Vilnius of waging a hybrid war that threatened the Chinese economy.
Lithuania’s Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said on Monday her country will begin to shoot down smuggler balloons crossing the border from Belarus, which have repeatedly interrupted the Baltic nation’s air traffic.
Belarusian state news agency BELTA cited Lukashenko as saying that Lithuania had: “come up with an absurd excuse, these balloons, even for a small country like Lithuania.”
Lithuania and Belarus have long been at odds, over Vilnius providing shelter for members of Belarus’ exiled opposition.
BELTA also cited Lukashenko as saying that the deployment of Russia’s Oreshnik missile system in Belarus is not an aggressive move and is aimed at ensuring security.
Russia and Belarus are not interested in escalation of tensions with Europe, Lukashenko said.
(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
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