Belarussian president Alexander Lukashenko has sacked his foreign minister, weeks after a diplomatic row with Sweden and the European Union over a pro-democracy stunt in which hundreds of teddy bears were airdropped over the country.
Mr Lukashenko's office, which announced the dismissal of Sergei Martynov (59), who had held the post since 2003, did not provide any reasons for the decision.
Mr Lukashenko named Vladimir Makei (54), who was previously his chief-of-staff, as replacement.
Earlier this month, Belarus expelled Sweden's ambassador after an aircraft chartered by a Swedish public relations firm dropped about 800 toy bears over the authoritarian country in July, each carrying a message urging the former Soviet republic to show greater respect for human rights.
Mr Lukashenko sacked two generals, including the head of air defence, and told the incoming border guards chief to use weapons if necessary to shoot down any future foreign intruders into Belarussian air space.