Events

5 Nov 2025

Belarus’ border service: Situation on border remains tense

An archive photo

MINSK, 5 November (BelTA) – The situation on the Belarusian border remains tense, Press Secretary of Belarus’ State Border Committee Anton Bychkovsky told the media, BelTA has learned.

“The current situation along the perimeter of Belarus’ border is characterized by continued tension. The border areas of neighboring countries are being heavily militarized. A NATO military contingent has been deployed on the territory of Poland and the Baltic states. Its numbers are being systematically increased, and a large number of various exercises continue to be conducted,” Anton Bychkovsky noted. “Under the pretext of combating refugee flows seeking to reach Western European countries in search of better living conditions, the process of erecting a so-called ‘iron curtain’ along our borders continues. Instances of cruel treatment of refugees by the security forces of the neighboring countries and attempts to forcibly push them onto our territory persist. Most border checkpoints have been closed by Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia.”

According to the press secretary, the closure of checkpoints coupled with the slow operation of the operational ones affects the border crossing time for freight carriers, scheduled buses, and ordinary citizens. “Consequently, long queues to enter the EU have become an almost permanent occurrence. Passenger and freight flows have been forcibly redistributed to the remaining operational directions. These are only two international highway checkpoints on the border with Poland, one with Latvia, and one checkpoint on the border with Lithuania that operates in a very limited mode (open for certain categories of citizens). The Belarusian side is undertaking all necessary measures to facilitate the efficient passage of persons and vehicles. In light of the evolving situation, we have fully utilized the infrastructure of our border checkpoints to enhance their throughput,” Anton Bychkovsky explained.

“The situation on the border with Ukraine is less tense than it was some time ago. Despite this, border guards stay alert and keep operating at an intensified level,” he added.

He also recalled that on 30 October, the Belarusian border service received an official notification from the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service stating that the Lithuanian government had adopted a resolution on 29 October to restrict and suspend the crossing of the state borders of Lithuania. “The document formally codified the restrictions on the movement of individuals and transport through the Medininkai border checkpoint (Kamenny Log on the Belarusian side), which had been introduced on 27 October. The crossing of the border has also been completely suspended at the Salcininkai checkpoint (Benyakoni on the Belarusian side). Citizens of Belarus and other states not included in the list of exceptions are forced to travel to Lithuania and EU countries considering these restrictions, choosing other directions where queues are forming,” he added. “The Lithuanian side is attempting to justify its actions by citing issues with combating weather balloons and the need to ensure the security of its airspace.”

According to Anton Bychkovsky, it was on the initiative of the Lithuanian side that a number of bilateral interagency agreements between the State Border Committee of Belarus and Lithuanian State Border Guard Service were terminated. These include the protocol on information exchange dated 22 September 2011, the protocol on cooperation between operational units dated 27 August 2014, and the regulation on the procedure for conducting joint investigations of illegal crossing of the Belarusian-Lithuanian state border dated 27 August 2014.

“It is quite obvious that such actions by the Lithuanian side do not lead to the resolution of accumulating problems but only exacerbate the situation. Nevertheless, in Belarus, a whole range of measures has been taken to combat these forms of unlawful activity. In particular, at the legislative level, Decree No.297 of 25 September 2023 On State Registration of the Operation of Civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicles is in effect, as well as the recently enacted Law No.101-3 of 20 October 2025 On Amendments to Laws Concerning Criminal and Administrative Liability, which establishes administrative liability for the import into Belarus, storage, circulation, operation, and manufacture of civil unmanned aerial vehicles and aircraft models. Weather balloons are also included in this list. The liability provides for a fine of up to 30 base units with confiscation of the UAV or aircraft model, and if such an administrative offense is committed repeatedly within a year, criminal liability is imposed,” Anton Bychkovsky explained.

As part of countering unlawful activities involving the use of weather balloons on the Belarusian-Lithuanian section of the state border this year, 88 aerostatic balloons have been detained in 29 cases, with 359 gas cylinders, 98 GPS trackers, two thermographic cameras, 10 mobile phones, and 36 SIM cards from Lithuanian mobile operators confiscated. “In absolutely all cases involving the movement of weather balloons, laboratory analysis revealed SIM cards from Lithuanian mobile operators. Furthermore, in 23 cases, attempts to use other types of UAVs, both industrial and homemade, were thwarted. A total of 27 unmanned aerial vehicles and their components have been seized,” the press secretary added.

“Resolving border security issues is only possible through interaction and joint efforts. They will never be resolved by the efforts of just one state, and the Belarusian border agency remains open to constructive and mutually beneficial cooperation,” Anton Bychkovsky said.