18 unauthorised migrants turned away at Belarus border

Lithuanian border guards turned away 18 people attempting to cross illegally from Belarus during the past 24 hours, the State Border Guard Service (VSAT) said on Saturday.

The agency reported that no attempts were recorded by Latvian border guards on Friday and none were reported by Polish authorities on Thursday. The latest figure brings the total number of unauthorised migrants stopped at the Lithuanian border this year to 76.

VSAT said the largest single-day attempt this year occurred in late November, when 20 people were turned away. In 2024, Lithuanian authorities recorded more than 1,600 attempts to enter the country illegally from Belarus, while in 2023 the figure was 1,002.

The surge in unauthorised migration from Belarus into eastern EU states began in 2021. Western governments have accused the government in Minsk of orchestrating the movement.

State Border Guard Service