Border checks resume between Russia and Belarus after 28 years.

Belarus has partially restored border controls with Russia for the first time in almost 30 years, citing the need to avoid the entry of third-country nationals into Belarus. However, human rights activists believe the move is aimed at stopping Russian men fleeing mobilisation into the Russian army to fight in Ukraine. The new visa rules come into effect as thousands of Russians have fled to Belarus to escape military mobilisation as well as persecution in Russia of those who do not support Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.