What was happening on Belarus's borders on 6 July 2021?
A look back at two border disputes involving Belarus that were reported in the days before 6 July 2021.
What was the situation along Belarus's borders on 6 July 2021? In the days leading up to that date, two separate disputes had put Minsk's relations with its neighbours under strain.
On 2 July 2021, Belarus closed its border with Ukraine. President Alexander Lukashenko claimed that arms were being smuggled into the country in an attempt by "outside powers" to overthrow his regime. Ukraine denied the claims and said that closing the border would make its people "suffer".
The same day, Lithuania declared a state of emergency amid an increase in the number of undocumented migrants crossing into the country from Belarus. The Government of Lithuania accused Lukashenko of deliberately trying to destabilise the country by encouraging and allowing migrants, mostly Syrians, to cross the border.
Together, the two announcements of 2 July 2021 showed Belarus in dispute with neighbours to both its south and its north.
