Lithuanian border guards detain 12 migrants from Belarus in helicopter-assisted operation
Lithuanian border guards detained a group of 12 migrants attempting to cross from Belarus on Tuesday, with one man apprehended after a pursuit involving a helicopter, the State Border Guard Service (VSAT) reported.
According to VSAT, officers at the Aleksandro Barausko checkpoint spotted the group via surveillance systems and responded immediately. Five migrants fled back toward Belarus upon seeing the patrol, while the remaining seven scattered into Lithuanian territory. Six were quickly detained, but one man—later identified as an undocumented Afghan citizen—evaded capture on foot.
The fugitive was tracked down by a VSAT Eurocopter crew after a brief chase. “Hearing the approaching helicopter less than a kilometer from the border, the man dropped to the ground in a wooded area, hoping to remain hidden,” VSAT stated. “Thermal imaging equipment aboard the aircraft pinpointed his location, allowing ground units to move in for the arrest.” A border guard dog unit also participated in the pursuit.
Following individual assessments, all detained migrants were deemed ineligible for protection and returned to Belarus. VSAT noted that this week alone has seen a surge in illegal crossing attempts, with 117 migrants turned away since Monday—nearly matching the total for the first three months of the year (135). Tuesday’s operation brings Lithuania’s 2026 total of intercepted migrants to 252.
Authorities attribute the spike to Belarus’ ongoing “hybrid attack” tactics, which have included orchestrated migration waves since mid-2021. Recent arrivals are predominantly physically fit men aged 20–40, some of whom have thrown rocks and insults at officers during confrontations. Similar incidents have been reported in Poland, VSAT added.
In 2025, Lithuania recorded over 1,600 illegal border-crossing attempts from Belarus, compared to 1,002 the previous year. The EU has accused Minsk of weaponizing migration to destabilize neighboring states.