Russia-Belarus border checks return, linked to Ukraine war draft

Belarus has partially restored controls on its border with Russia, Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik said, the first time in almost 30 years that there have been checks at the 1,239km (770 miles) frontier between the two staunch allies.

The re-introduction of border controls was designed to avoid the entry of third-country nationals into Belarus, Aleinik said on Wednesday, ahead of an agreement on the mutual recognition of visas between Minsk and Moscow.