Lithuanian border guards stop 20 migrants attempting to enter from Belarus via tunnel

Lithuanian border guards have detained 20 irregular migrants who attempted to enter the country from Belarus through an underground tunnel, the State Border Guard Service (VSAT) reported on Tuesday, as cited by the 15min news portal.

The migrants were apprehended after authorities discovered a tunnel in the southern part of Lithuania, dug with the apparent intention of crossing the border undetected. VSAT chief Rustamas Liubajevas noted that such tunnels have been increasingly detected in the area, which offers suitable terrain for concealment due to its forested landscape.

“The landscape there is quite suitable—there are enough forested areas where a group can hide. We have to apply various measures to ensure everyone is stopped,” Liubajevas said.

A similar operation was reported in June, when border guards and police searched for migrants in the Varėna district after discovering another tunnel. However, two groups of migrants, each consisting of several individuals, are suspected to have entered Lithuania undetected on that occasion. Liubajevas stated that such successful undetected crossings remain rare.

Lithuania has prevented nearly 1,000 irregular migrant entries this year. In 2025, there were over 1,600 recorded attempts to cross into Lithuania from Belarus at unauthorised locations, compared to 1,002 in the previous year.

Latvian border guards detained 76 migrants on Monday, while Polish authorities reported four attempted irregular crossings on Sunday. The influx of migrants into the EU’s eastern member states via Belarus began in 2021, with Western officials accusing the Minsk regime of orchestrating the movement.