Vilnius (Lithuania), Feb 24 (AP) NATO member Lithuania, which has borders with Russian ally Belarus and Russia's exclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea, has declared a state of emergency effective early Thursday afternoon due to the situation in Ukraine.

The decree signed Thursday by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda steps up border protection. It gives authorities, among other things, the right to check and inspect vehicles, persons and luggage in the border area.

Also Read | Russia Says Ukraine's Air Defence Destroyed After Airports, Runways Across the Country Rocked by Explosions.

Lithuania also borders fellow NATO and European Union members Poland and Latvia.

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Also Read | 'Russia's Military Operation Is Blatant Aggression, Have Caused Civilian Casualties', Says Ukrainian Envoy to India Igor Polikha.

Ankara: Turkey has called on Russia to halt what it describes as “unfair and unlawful” actions in Ukraine.

A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement on Thursday said the Russian attacks were “unacceptable” and that Turkey “rejects” them.

“This attack, beyond destroying the Minsk agreements, is a grave violation of international law and poses a serious threat to the security of our region and of the world,” the ministry statement said, referring to deals that aimed to restore peace in eastern Ukraine.

The statement added that Turkey opposes moves that “change borders through the use of weapons.” (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)