Lithuania detects 12 migrant tunnels on Belarus border
Tuesday 15th September 2026 on 14:00 in
Lithuania
Lithuania detected 12 cases of migrants digging tunnels beneath the physical barrier on its border with Belarus this year, Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas said Tuesday, according to LRT.
“At the state border, we are seeing worrying trends: the threat of illegal migration is increasing, while tunnels dug beneath state territory are becoming an illegal alternative for entering the Republic of Lithuania,” Katelynas told the Seimas during the government’s question session.
The cases were recorded between April and August, he said.
In response, the State Border Guard Service has prepared an action plan for dealing with tunnels dug by migrants. The service is also cooperating with the European Union border agency Frontex and private organisations, Katelynas said.
Georadar equipment is being tested, while a procurement process is under way for specialised equipment to search for underground cavities. The government is also continuing to invest in counter-drone measures, which Katelynas called an essential tool in stopping smuggling.
In August, a media report said a border guard was slapped during a confrontation in the Lazdijai district, at the Belarus border, involving officers and migrants who had emerged from a tunnel. The report, published by the Lrytas news portal citing sources, also said there had been an attempt to drag one of the officers into Belarus, although he managed to break free.
After the report, Katelynas said that if the information were confirmed, he would see no possibility for State Border Guard Service commander Rustamas Liubajevas to remain in office. On August 17, the minister announced that Liubajevas had decided to step down.
Liubajevas said on the service’s Facebook account that he had resigned in response to public doubts about the institution and because he felt responsible for both its successes and failures. He was first appointed commander in 2019 after being granted the rank of general and was appointed to a second term in 2024.