Lithuania turns back 35 irregular migrants at Belarus border – highest number this year

Lithuanian border guards prevented 35 irregular migrants from crossing into the country from Belarus last week, the largest single-week total in 2026, the State Border Guard Service (VSAT) reported Thursday.

Among those turned away was one woman, with the rest being men. The group included nationals of Afghanistan, Iran, Morocco, Pakistan, and Somalia, though only one Afghan citizen possessed valid documents. Most attempts occurred in the protected Čepkeliai State Nature Reserve in Varėna district.

This marks the highest weekly figure since Monday, when 34 migrants were stopped at the border. So far this year, Lithuania has blocked 221 irregular entries. In 2025, authorities recorded 1,600 such attempts—up from 1,002 in 2024.

The surge in migrant crossings from Belarus into eastern EU states began in 2021, with Western officials accusing Minsk of orchestrating the flows.