The Latvian border with Belarus is the most restless section on the borders of the Baltic states, where there has been an increase in hybrid pressure and attempts at illegal migration in recent months, said the chairman of the Estonian parliament's foreign affairs committee, Marko Mihkelson.
This week, Mihkelson participated in a meeting of the chairs of the foreign affairs committees of the Baltic states' parliaments, which took place in Latgale. The meeting discussed security issues in the region, countering the threat of drones, as well as the hybrid activities of Russia and Belarus. Delegations visited the border area of Latvia, Russia, and Belarus, including the Paternieki border crossing and the Druja border post on the banks of the Daugava River.
"The Latvian border with Belarus is currently the most restless place among the three Baltic countries. Just in the first half of today, over 50 illegal migrants attempted to cross from Belarus into Latvia but were repelled by border guards," Mihkelson wrote on social media.
Since August 2021, more than 44,000 attempts at illegal crossing have been thwarted at the Latvian border. This is a joint hybrid operation by Russia and Belarus, aimed at keeping the eastern border of the European Union under constant pressure. According to Mihkelson, the border infrastructure of Latvia is currently the most vulnerable among the Baltic states; however, Latvian border guards are also assisted by personnel from Estonia, Lithuania, and Finland.
In addition to migration pressure, incidents involving drones that occurred in the Baltic states in recent months were also discussed at the meeting.
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