VILNIUS, August 18. /TASS/. Lithuania closed two out of its six checkpoints on the border with Belarus starting from Friday.

Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite justified the move by the need to tackle smuggling and emerging security threats.

"First of all, we need to step up our anti-smuggling efforts. The border checkpoints that were closed did not have x-ray equipment necessary for proper inspections," she said.

The Lithuanian government’s concerns about the presence of Wagner PMC members in Belarus and fears that they might infiltrate Lithuania via these checkpoints was the second declared reason.

"We view the presence of Wagner [PMC] in Lithuania as a threat that must be addressed," Bilotaite said.

Access to these border crossings was blocked by slabs of concrete and concertina-type razor wire.

The Lithuanian government gave no indication of when these border crossings might reopen.