The Latvian government says the increase in irregular migration represents a hybrid threat orchestrated by Russia and Belarus.
Latvia’s Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs announced on Tuesday the launch of a new security operation, dubbed “Vilkatis” — or “Werewolf” — aimed at strengthening border controls and improving coordination between Latvia’s security services, as the Baltic country is facing an influx of irregular migrants from Belarus.
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On the same day, Latvia’s border guards detected 15 people who illegally crossed the border through an underground tunnel dug from Belarus.
The security operation will increase the involvement of Latvia’s armed forces in supporting border guards, including through additional personnel and logistical support.
Authorities will also make greater use of drones, helicopters and aircraft to monitor the border and detect people attempting to cross illegally. To stop further migration, security forces will carry out more frequent vehicle checks on roads in the eastern border region.
Latvia is also seeking to tighten cooperation with its Baltic neighbours and Poland to curb illegal crossings and secondary migration flows, which have risen in recent months.
Hybrid threats from Belarus and Russia
The Latvian government says the increase in irregular migration represents a hybrid threat orchestrated by Russia and Belarus, framing the eastern frontier as part of a broader security challenge facing both NATO and the EU.
“It is now the fifth year since hostilities began and Russia has been using Latvia’s border as an element of hybrid warfare,” Kulbergs said at the press briefing on Tuesday.
The migrant routes shifted towards Latvia in July, just months before Latvia's parliamentary elections on 3 October, raising concerns that Minsk is once again seeking to exploit migration to destabilise the region.
The scale of the shift is reflected in border data.
In mid-July, Latvia, which has a 173-kilometre border with Belarus, recorded 111 attempted illegal crossings from the country in a single day.
Lithuania, which shares a border four times longer at 679 kilometres, recorded two attempted crossings on the same day, while Poland reported none the previous day.
Illegal migration from Belarus first started in 2021 after Belarus' President Aliaksandr Lukashenka threatened to flood neighbouring countries with migrants and drugs.
Latvia, Lithuania and Poland subsequently built border barriers, expanded surveillance and increased patrols.