MINSK, February 21. /TASS/. Western countries are tightening the visa regime and closing borders as part of a hybrid war unleashed against Minsk and Moscow, Belarusian Security Council State Secretary Alexander Volfovich said.

"This is both the migration crisis and the creation of a collapse of checkpoints by banning road and rail access. By and large, there is no rail transport to Europe today. This is the hybrid war unleashed by the West," the BelTA news agency quoted him as saying. According to the official, the authorities of Western countries want to isolate their citizens from Belarus and Russia by tightening the visa regime and closing the borders.

"Today the West has unleashed an information campaign against Belarus and other countries, trying to present Belarus and Russia as an 'axis of evil.' They are trying to demonize Belarus by shaping public opinion. They use the Internet, all kinds of cyber risks, challenges, and threats," the security official emphasized. According to him, when political, economic and informational instruments of pressure are no longer effective, the West uses military pressure. "We see that the neighboring territories are demonstrating military power," Volfovich said, referring to the increased military budgets of NATO member states.