Belarusian officials Saturday said the move is a retaliation for Russia's introduction of duties on crude oil exports to Belarus. Russian oil exports to Belarus were previously tax-exempt, but Moscow has imposed a new tax of about $180 per ton of oil starting in the new year.

Meanwhile, a delegation from Belarus is in Moscow in a last-minute attempt to settle a natural gas pricing dispute.

Russia's state-run gas monopoly, Gazprom, says it will cut off gas supplies to Belarus beginning Monday unless an agreement is reached.

Belarus now pays $46 per 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas. But Gazprom wants Minsk to pay $105 starting in the new year.

Belarus has vowed retaliation by disrupting Russian gas supplies crossing its territory to Europe.

By VOA News