Latvian Ministry of Interior strengthens border amid Belarus and Russia threats - EXCLUSIVE
CE Report presents an exclusive interview given by a source in the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Latvia, providing insight into the ongoing challenges and strategic measures implemented to secure the country’s eastern border amid sustained hybrid threats and a high number of attempted illegal crossings.
How does the Ministry assess the current security situation on the Latvia–Belarus border, particularly in light of the continued high number of illegal crossing attempts?
The situation at Latvia’s external border remains tense, now in its fifth consecutive year. Every day, targeted attempts to illegally enter Latvia and the European Union are being prevented; these attempts are orchestrated by the regimes of Russia and Belarus.
The hybrid warfare methods used by Russia and Belarus at the external border of NATO and the European Union do not allow border guards to lower their vigilance even for a moment. Since 2021, the situation at the Latvia–Belarus border has escalated significantly — including the fact that pressure from Belarus involving persons attempting to cross the border illegally has become systematic and organised. Throughout these years, the challenge faced by the State Border Guard has been substantial; nevertheless, border guards have been fully coping with the situation.
As a result of comprehensive measures, the number of attempted illegal border crossings dropped sharply from nearly 14,000 attempts in 2023 to 5,388 in 2024. In 2025, however, a significant increase was once again observed, forming part of an instrumentalised hybrid attack deliberately directed by the Belarusian side. Over time, groups of persons attempting to cross the border illegally have become larger, more aggressive, and are often equipped with metal-cutting tools or stones.
Pressure on Latvia’s border from Belarus, and indirectly from Russia, involving attempts to illegally enter Latvia, may continue for several more years.
April and May of last year were particularly intensive months for the State Border Guard, with approximately 70 illegal border crossers detected daily — amounting to between 1,500 and 2,000 individuals per month. The number of such cases also remained high during the summer months.
At present, the challenges are even greater than a year ago. In the fight against illegal border crossings, vigilance cannot be lowered; therefore, the State Border Guard continues to maintain a high density of personnel in the border area.
Since August 2021, border guards have been preventing attempts to illegally cross the Latvia–Belarus state border on a daily basis. In total, 12,046 persons were prevented from illegally crossing the state border in 2025; 5,388 in 2024; 13,863 in 2023; 5,286 in 2022; and 4,045 in 2021.
What specific additional powers are granted to Latvian border guards under the extended special regulation, and how are these measures balanced with international and EU legal obligations?
As recognised in its case-law by the European Court of Human Rights, states have the right to control the entry of persons into their territory, their stay therein and their departure, as well as the right to determine and implement their own immigration policy in order to ensure national security, prevent illegal entry, and fulfil obligations arising from membership in the European Union and international organisations. In this context, border protection systems — including the establishment and enforcement of border control — constitute a fundamental element of ensuring internal security. Within the framework of the European Union, such border control serves not only the interests of the Member State at whose borders it is carried out, but also the interests of all States applying the Schengen acquis on the abolition of border control at the internal borders of the European Union.
It should be emphasised that, in order to guarantee the stability and effectiveness of its democratic system, a state may need to adopt special self-protection measures. Where there is a significant and serious risk to interests protected by the state, the state has a duty to take reasonable and appropriate measures before negative consequences materialise. Ensuring national security is a fundamental responsibility of the state. Consequently, any risks that may endanger national security must be prevented, and an enhanced operational regime of the border protection system is aimed at fulfilling this state obligation.
The State Border Guard ensures continuous surveillance of the eastern border. However, in view of the increasing number of attempts to illegally cross the state border, the State Police and the National Armed Forces have been tasked with providing the necessary support to the State Border Guard in securing the external border, in order to prevent its illegal crossing.
During the period of the reinforced border security regime, significantly stricter criminal penalties, as provided for in the Criminal Law, apply for the illegal transportation of persons across the state border and for the deliberate facilitation of a person’s illegal stay in Latvia.
Accordingly, during the period of the reinforced border security regime, officials of the State Border Guard, the State Police and the National Armed Forces are entitled to carry out all actions provided for by law that are necessary to detect, prevent and terminate illegal crossings of the state border, as well as the illegal transportation and stay of persons in the Republic of Latvia.
Could you provide more details on the planned deployment of additional technical infrastructure at the eastern border by the end of 2026?
According to the special law adopted in Latvia for the construction of external border infrastructure, border security infrastructure consists not only of physical security elements – border fence, patrol paths, footbridges, etc., but also of technical border surveillance means – presence detection systems and surveillance equipments and the infrastructure related to them.
Such a system ensures the ability to respond in real time to threats, including hybrid warfare, organized crime, illegal migration and other risks, in accordance with regulatory enactments in the field of national security and border protection. It is an integral part of the infrastructure necessary for the protection of the external land border.
Latvia is currently in the final phase of building physical border security infrastructure on both the border with the Russian Federation and the border with the Republic of Belarus.
According to the government's action plan, the entire external land border should be equipped with technological infrastructure by the end of 2026. Currently, the work is progressing ahead of schedule and there are no indications of possible deviations.
Our ultimate goal is to create the most modern border guard on the EU's eastern border.
How does Latvia coordinate border protection measures with the European Union, NATO allies, and neighbouring countries facing similar migration pressure?
Given that Lithuania, Estonia, Poland and Finland continue to face various forms of hybrid attacks, it is essential to ensure unified and coordinated cross-border action in response to such attempts to illegally cross state borders, in order to guarantee an equivalent level of protection along the borders with Belarus throughout the region.
Latvia, together with other countries in the region, including the Baltic States and Finland, continues to protect its own external border as well as the common external border of the European Union. We maintain continuous communication in order to monitor and carefully analyse the overall situation in the region.
At the same time, the European Commission and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) provide substantial resources and support, working as a unified team to help ensure the effective security of both Latvia’s border and the common external border of the European Union.
Does the Ministry foresee the need for further extensions of the enhanced border regime if the current situation persists?
The State Border Law of the Republic of Latvia provides the Cabinet of Ministers with the right, where a disproportionately high number of cases of illegal crossing of the state border or attempts thereof are identified, to declare the reinforced border security regime. In accordance with the aforementioned law, the Cabinet of Ministers is entitled to declare such border protection regime for a period of up to six months, with the possibility, if necessary, to extend this period until the relevant threat has been eliminated or overcome.
The Ministry of the Interior, in cooperation with the State Border Guard, continuously monitors the situation and prepares the necessary information so that, if required, the Cabinet of Ministers may decide on the extension of the reinforced border security regime.
Photo: Wikipedia
This interview was prepared by Julian Müller
