Lithuanian Border Guards Turn Back Seven Migrants to Belarus
Lithuania's State Border Guard Service said seven illegal migrants were pushed back to Belarus over the past day. A total of 1,962 attempts to enter Lithuania illegally from Belarus have been prevented this year.
Lithuanian border guards forced seven illegal immigrants back into Belarus over the past 24 hours after they tried to enter Lithuania unlawfully, the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service said on Sunday. The figures reflect the situation on the European Union's external border, where Lithuania has dealt with migrant flows from its neighbour for several years.
According to the service, 1,962 attempts to cross illegally from Belarus into Lithuania have been prevented so far this year.
Practice introduced in 2021
Border guards began pushing illegal immigrants back in August 2021, following an order by Agne Bilotaite, who was Lithuania's interior minister at the time. Since then, crossings at unauthorised locations have been blocked more than 26,000 times. Before that order, from the start of 2021, around 4,200 illegal migrants were detained in Lithuania.
Entry into the country was denied to illegal migrants:
- in 2022 – more than 11,200 times;
- in 2023 – 2,643 times;
- in 2024 – 1,002 times;
- in 2025 – 1,652 times.
Lithuania's assessment
Lithuanian officials say the Belarusian regime is deliberately encouraging the flow of migrants across the border between the two countries. According to them, this is because Lithuania supports the Belarusian democratic opposition.
