Vilkatis operation stops 450 illegal border crossings in a week

LSM reported on Tuesday that Latvia’s Vilkatis operation had prevented 450 people from illegally crossing the border in its first week. A mobile patrol and the State Border Guard also detained a person whose vehicle was carrying five people without valid documents.

Colonel Arvis Zile, head of the Crisis Management Centre, said the border situation remained tense. He said new damage to fencing and infrastructure had been detected during the week, while National Armed Forces personnel helped detain a carrier.

National Armed Forces soldiers and members of the National Guard are supporting border surveillance and patrols, logistics and transport, as well as engineering work to strengthen the security of Latvia’s external border.

Since August 14, border guards and State Police officers have been systematically using ground-penetrating radar near the border with Belarus to identify unusual changes in soil structure, including possible underground structures, cavities and tunnels.

Residents have also been reporting suspicious people and activities in their surroundings, according to the report.

The Vilkatis operation began on August 11 as Latvia’s coordinated response to what authorities describe as a hybrid threat involving instrumentalised illegal migration from Belarus. Its aim is to significantly reduce illegal border crossings in eastern Latvia and prevent similar incidents in the future.

Under Article 285, Part Three of Latvia’s Criminal Law, illegally transporting a person across the border is punishable by two to 10 years in prison.