"US Urges Evacuation from Belarus as Lithuania Closes Border"

The US has urged its citizens to leave Belarus immediately as tensions rise in the region, with Lithuania shutting down two of its border crossings with the country. The US Embassy in Minsk cited reasons such as the facilitation of Russia's attack on Ukraine, the presence of Russian military forces in Belarus, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, potential civil unrest, and the risk of detention. The embassy advised US citizens to leave Belarus using the border crossings with Lithuania and Latvia or by plane, while also warning against travel to Russia or Ukraine. Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia are considering further closures of border crossings with Belarus.