Latvia Reports Attempts to Disrupt Expansion of Border Control System With Russia and Belarus

In Latvia, cables, distribution cabinets and video surveillance poles along the eastern border are being deliberately damaged to slow the deployment of an automated border control system.

Latvia’s State Border Guard reported this.

The Border Guard said the methods used by offenders and individuals supported by the regimes of neighboring countries, Russia and Belarus, are becoming increasingly aggressive and sophisticated.

“Deliberate damage to video surveillance equipment and cables is not random vandalism, but targeted actions aimed at obstructing border surveillance and the implementation of technologies,” said the head of Latvia’s State Border Guard.

Work is underway simultaneously in several separate sections of the Latvian-Belarusian border as part of the Automated Border Surveillance Infrastructure project.

In the first phase, modern systems have already been installed along 81.7 kilometers, or more than 72% of the planned area. Under the second phase, 19.9 kilometers, or 33.17% of the planned scope, have been put into operation.

Work is also underway on the Latvian-Russian border. During the third quarter, about 28% of the work planned for this section was completed as part of the fifth phase.

At the same time, Latvian border guards are deploying new long-range surveillance systems, while communications, lightning protection, fall-protection systems and the transmission of security and fire alarm signals directly to border guard units are being upgraded on the towers.

Situation on the Border With Belarus

The situation remains most tense on the Latvian-Belarusian border. As of September 24, Latvian border guards had prevented 11,384 attempts to illegally cross the border from Belarus since the beginning of 2026, including 24 attempts on September 24 alone.

Militarny previously reported that in August, Latvia closed the last border crossing with Belarus after more than 9,000 attempts to illegally cross the border had been recorded since the beginning of the year. Latvian authorities also extended the heightened border security regime through the end of 2026.

In August, Latvian border guards discovered an underground tunnel used to smuggle migrants from Belarus. Fifteen people were detained, and the tunnel was found about 10 meters from the border fence.

In addition, in January, Latvia’s armed forces and Border Guard published materials that, according to them, indicated the involvement of Belarusian security agencies in organizing illegal migration. Radios, documents from Belarusian military units, as well as photos and videos of Belarusian border guards were found among detained migrants.