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Belarus has started military drills on its western border, NATO member Lithuania said on Monday, accusing its neighbour of escalating tensions amid mass protests against embattled leader Alexander Lukashenko.
"We are witnessing Belarusian efforts to further escalate and develop a narrative about the so-called foreign threats," Defence Minister Raimundas Karoblis said in a statement to AFP.
He said the Baltic nation was closely following the situation together with NATO allies but "does not see a military threat from Belarus today".
"I can confirm the information that was announced yesterday by Belarus about military exercises beginning today close to the border with Lithuania and Poland," the minister said.
Belarus's defence ministry said Sunday that it would hold military exercise in Grodno region from Monday to Thursday. Karoblis said Belarus did not notify its neighbours in advance.
The military drills were announced after Lukashenko accused NATO of a military build-up in Lithuania and Poland near Belarus's western border.
NATO dismissed the allegation and Karoblis said it was nothing more than "an attempt to shift blame and justify its own actions", adding that "neither Lithuania nor NATO pose any military threat for Belarus".
Belarus's EU and NATO neighbours Lithuania and Poland have taken a lead in European diplomacy on Belarus and both called for new fair elections.
Lithuania has also given refuge to Belarusian opposition challenger Svetlana Tikhanovskaya who said on Monday she was ready to take over the country's leadership.
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