Lithuania blocks 35 migrants at Belarus border in single day, highest number this year

Lithuanian border guards turned away 35 migrants attempting to cross illegally from Belarus on Wednesday, the highest daily total recorded this year, the State Border Guard Service (VSAT) reported Thursday.

According to VSAT, the group included one woman and 34 men, with detainees identifying as citizens of Afghanistan, Iran, Morocco, Pakistan, and Somalia. Only one Afghan national possessed valid documents.

Most attempts occurred in the Čepkeliai State Nature Reserve area in Varėna district. The previous daily peak this year—34 blocked crossings—was recorded just two days earlier on Monday. Latvian authorities reported 14 intercepted migrants on Wednesday, while Polish officials registered none.

Giedrius Mišutis, a VSAT advisor, linked the surge to “increased activity by Belarusian special services” in smuggling operations. “Migrants tell our officers how they are assisted in reaching the Lithuanian-Belarusian border and describe their routes,” he stated, adding that Belarusian security structures are directly involved.

Winter saw a temporary decline in crossings, but officials had anticipated a rebound. “We expected rising numbers because the issue hasn’t disappeared,” Mišutis said, warning of potential challenges ahead.

Last year, Lithuania blocked over 1,600 illegal entries from Belarus; 221 have been stopped so far in 2026. Since the start of the Belarus-orchestrated migration crisis in 2021, authorities have denied entry to 24,600 migrants.