'All Belarusians are hostages to Lukashenko's regime,' say citizens now cut off from Europe

As European airlines suspend the flights to Belarus that once offered one of the few exit routes out of an oppressive state already in the grip of closed land borders, many Belarusians fear the return of a Soviet-style Iron Curtain around their country.

Western leaders have called for tougher sanctions and drastic aviation bans following the brazen diversion of a passenger plane and subsequent arrest of dissident journalist Roman Protasevich on Sunday, and millions of citizens of Belarus are now facing an anxious future. "We are cut off from the rest of the world," 54-year-old Nikolai, who is only identified by his first name due to security concerns, told CNN from his home in Minsk. "(President Alexander) Lukashenko is doing everything possible to isolate the country and return the Iron Curtain."