Lithuanian border guards block nearly as many migrants in one week as in all of 2024

Lithuanian border guards turned away or detained nearly as many irregular migrants from Belarus in just four days this week as they had in the entire first three months of the year, state broadcaster LRT reports, citing data from the State Border Guard Service (VSAT).

Between Monday, April 1, and Thursday, April 3, officers prevented 117 unauthorised crossings from Belarus—matching the 135 blocked since January. The total number of migrants stopped at the border this year now stands at 252.

Daily records were set twice this week, with 34 migrants turned back on Monday and 35 on Wednesday. Another 31 were blocked on Thursday, alongside 17 on Tuesday. Latvian authorities reported repelling 44 migrants on Thursday, while Polish officials recorded none on Wednesday.

The VSAT stated that the recent surge aligns with a long-standing pattern of “hybrid attacks” orchestrated by Belarus since mid-2021, aimed at destabilising Lithuania and neighbouring states. “The temporary lull in early 2024, with frequent zero-detection days, has ended,” the service noted.

Most recent attempts involve physically fit men aged 20–40, described as “aggressive” and often resisting contact with officers. The VSAT reported multiple incidents of migrants throwing stones, branches, and verbal abuse at guards—echoing a sharper rise in violent confrontations observed in Poland.

Last year, Lithuanian authorities recorded over 1,600 attempts to cross illegally from Belarus, compared to 1,002 in 2022. The EU has previously accused Minsk of weaponising migration as a political tool.