Russia's relationship with Belarus showed further signs of strain yesterday after Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus's authoritarian president, accused Moscow of "unfriendly steps" and threatened to charge fees for transit of Russian oil across his country.

Speaking for the first time since Belarus succumbed to Russia's demands to double gas prices and take control of half of its pipeline infrastructure, Mr Lukashenko said he had instructed his government to propose to Moscow that it pay for everything "they are getting here for free, from military objects to transit of oil".