Armed Belarusian escort threatens Latvian border guards and masked group steals surveillance cameras

Armed confrontation and equipment theft

Armed individuals operating from Belarusian territory escorted a group of at least 20 migrants toward the Latvian border and issued direct threats against Latvian soldiers. The Latvian National Armed Forces and border guards prevented the group from entering national territory. Several hours after the initial confrontation, a separate group of masked intruders crossed onto Latvian soil. The perpetrators damaged an electrical distribution cabinet and stole surveillance cameras before border security patrols reached the site. The masked individuals then retreated across the border back into Belarus.

The escort of illegal migrants, who were on the Belarusian side, were armed, threatened the soldiers, and also actively encouraged and drove the migrant group toward Latvia.

Riga warns Minsk over hybrid tactics

Latvian Minister of the Interior Jānis Dombrava characterized the border breach as an aggressive provocation that exceeded previous incidents in severity. Dombrava warned on social media platform X that such actions could lead to serious consequences for Belarus. Latvian armed forces confirmed that military units will maintain operational support for border guards along both the Belarusian and Russian borders to counter ongoing hybrid pressures. The European Union previously sanctioned Belarus in 2021 for orchestrating irregular migration across its borders. Regional tensions have also expanded into airspace incidents; on the night of 15 September, NATO forces shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus, with Lithuanian National Crisis Management Center head Vilmantas Vitkauskas confirming it flew over Lentvaris near Vilnius before being downed near Kaunas.

Belarus should understand that such incidents can lead to more serious consequences for Belarus itself.

Operation Werewolf extended

To protect border infrastructure, the Latvian government extended Operation Werewolf, known domestically as Vilkatis, through October. Defence Minister Raivis Melnis, a former military officer who took office in late May under Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs, announced the decision to maintain combined patrols of border guards, police officers, and army personnel. The specialized operation was originally scheduled to conclude at the end of August before receiving successive extensions as cross-border activity persisted. Military and law enforcement agencies are coordinating joint patrols across vulnerable forested sectors to secure border infrastructure and intercept smuggling networks.

People are being directed deeper into Europe via the Belarusian-Latvian route. In recent weeks, we have also detained significantly more human traffickers. We are extending the operation to more effectively combat illegal immigration and implement new surveillance technologies.

Shifting tactics along the border barrier

Latvian authorities reported that more than 12,000 irregular crossing attempts occurred from the start of 2026 through early October, matching the total recorded in the entire year of 2025. Border pressure intensified during the summer months, leading the government to suspend border crossings on 31 July and shut the final active checkpoint with Belarus. Earlier in July, Latvian forces had fired warning shots and used tear gas on 22 July to repel an attempted mass crossing. Migrants guided by organizers have utilized varied methods to breach border barriers, including tall ladders, cutting tools, boats on the Daugava River, and underground passages. Border guards uncovered a subterranean tunnel in August used by 15 migrants attempting to cross undetected. In September, authorities registered slightly over 1,200 illegal crossing attempts, with some individuals traveling onward to Estonia and Finland.