Lithuanian border guards turn back 50 irregular migrants from Belarus in single week

Lithuanian border authorities prevented 50 irregular migrants from entering the country from Belarus last week—the highest weekly total this year—the State Border Guard Service (VSAT) reported Monday.

The attempted crossings occurred in multiple groups. Eleven migrants in two separate groups near the Lazdijai district approached the border but were stopped by patrols at the Kapčiamiestis checkpoint before entering Lithuania. Another 39 migrants—including one woman and 38 men—were intercepted by border guards at the Kapčiamiestis and Kabeliai checkpoints in the Lazdijai and Varėna districts. Nine carried Afghan passports, while the rest lacked identification documents.

A group of 19 migrants was located with the assistance of a helicopter. The previous weekly record this year was set on April 18, when 37 individuals attempted to cross. The last time authorities turned back more than 50 migrants in a single week was on October 31 of last year, when 63 were stopped.

VSAT noted that recent attempts typically involve physically fit men aged 20–40, often aggressive and seeking to avoid contact with officials. Since the start of the year, Lithuania has blocked 612 irregular migrants from Belarus. In 2025, there were over 1,600 such attempts, compared to 1,002 in 2024. More than 25,000 migrants have been prevented from entering since the start of the Belarus-orchestrated migration crisis in 2021.