Russia shuts border with Belarus for personal travel

Russia has closed its border with Belarus for personal travel to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Monday.

"We will continue to do everything possible to protect our country from this new threat," Mishustin said at a meeting with his deputies.

"We have deliberately introduced all current restrictions in order to avoid tougher measures in the future," he added.

The government can use 300 billion rubles (about 4 billion U.S. dollars) in reserve funds for priority spending needs and supporting industries and citizens affected by COVID-19, Mishustin said.

The proactive measures the government has taken this year allowed Russia to effectively limit the spread of the disease, he said.

Russia has greatly reduced flights to countries seriously hit by the coronavirus and cut rail links with some countries.

As of Sunday, 63 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Russia, including 60 Russians, two Chinese and one Italian. The two Chinese and one Russian have been discharged after complete recovery.