Lithuania finds unfinished migrant-smuggling tunnel from Belarus; dozens of suspected dig sites
Lithuanian border guards discovered an underground tunnel from Belarus, though it had no exit on the Lithuanian side. Officials believe it was meant for smuggling foreign nationals, and suspect dozens more may exist.
Lithuania's State Border Guard Service has uncovered an unfinished underground tunnel running from Belarus into the southeastern part of the country, according to broadcaster LRT. The tunnel is about one meter in diameter and had no exit on the Lithuanian side. Border guards detected it after noticing ground vibrations suggesting digging activity.
The service believes the tunnel was intended for smuggling foreign nationals into Lithuania. Rustamas Liubajevas, head of the State Border Guard Service, said guards have identified “dozens” of other locations where similar tunnels might exist. He added that Belarusian authorities may be involved in constructing the tunnels, either turning a blind eye or actively helping migrants dig. Liubajevas noted that wooden supports were found inside the tunnel, and it would be impossible to bring timber so close to the border without help from Belarusian border guards.
Similar tunnels were discovered on the Belarusian-Polish border in 2025, as reported by The Telegraph. Polish authorities said specialists from the Middle East with a high level of expertise helped design them. The Telegraph described the tunnels as a new escalation in the Kremlin’s hybrid war against Europe.
In spring 2021, amid worsening relations with Belarus, Lithuania reported a growing flow of unauthorized migrants, mostly from the Middle East and Africa, entering via the Belarusian-Lithuanian border—a surge that later escalated into a large-scale migration crisis.
