 Lithuania said on August 16 it will close two of the country's six border crossing points with Belarus, because the geopolitical environment has become more threatening, Deputy Transport Minister Aini Vesyukovishiyut told a Council of Ministers, just weeks after Russian Wagner Group mercenaries took refuge in the neighboring country. The two rural crossing points, which were not used by commercial vehicles, will be closed from Friday, Lithuania announced. Poland has closed all but one border crossing point with Belarus this year following the imprisonment of a journalist of Polish origin and expulsions of Polish diplomats and last week announced plans to move 10,000 additional troops to the Belarus border to support existing guards. The country said in July it had concerns that the presence of Wagner fighters in Belarus could lead to increased tension on its border.