Belarus’ strongman President Aleksandr Lukashenko secured his seventh term with an expected 87.6% of the vote, extending his three decades-long rule by another five years. European leaders are all but certain to repair to their time-honored tradition of demanding Lukashenko’s ouster while imposing fresh sanctions on Belarus.

Belarus as a Launchpad for Attacks on NATO States" took place. The discussion was organized by the International Center for Countering Russian Aggression in collaboration with the "For the Decolonization and Dismantling of the Russian Empire" the expert group from the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine’s inter-factional MPs' association.

It’s needed, the government in Warsaw says, because Russia and Belarus are waging a particular kind of hybrid warfare: helping groups of migrants — mostly from Africa or the Middle East — to break through the border to provoke and destabilize Poland and the rest of Europe.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said that protecting borders is a 'sacred duty', but humanitarian organisations have expressed concerns. #EuropeNews

Polish border guards look east into Belarus at the crossing point Połowce-Pieszczatka in Polowce, Poland on Jan 16. (AP)

It’s become a buffer zone since Belarus’ ally ... farther north line Poland's frontier with the Russian region of Kaliningrad. Poland is Ukraine’s top logistical backer.

After breaking away from a crumbling Soviet Union in the early 1990s, Belarus became increasingly aligned with Russia, unlike its neighbors. That bond strengthened as Russia waged its war against Ukraine.

According to Wirtualna Polska, Lithuania is ramping up its border defenses with Russia by deploying a large number of “dragon’s teeth”—pyramid-shaped concrete structures designed to stop tanks. In addition,

Lithuania is enhancing its border security with Russia through various measures. In addition to deploying a significant number of "dragon's teeth" barriers, the authorities in Vilnius have decided to mine the bridges leading to Kaliningrad.

Lithuania is reinforcing its border with Russia in various ways. Aside from using a large number of "dragon's teeth," the authorities in Vilnius have decided to mine bridges leading to Kaliningrad. "Lithuania has already purchased warehouses full of "dragon’s teeth" — concrete pyramids designed to stop tanks — and plans to mine its bridges to the

Lithuania is bolstering its border defences with Russia in multiple ways. Apart from using a large number of "dragon's teeth," the authorities in Vilnius plan to mine bridges leading to Kaliningrad. "Lithuania has already purchased warehouses full of "dragon’s teeth" — concrete pyramids designed to stop tanks — and plans to mine its bridges to the

According to Sergey Naryshkin, the existence of such a distinctive passage is Russia’s "natural strategic benefit"