Lithuanian Border Guard Injured in Clash With Migrants

A group of illegal migrants crossing from Belarus injured a Lithuanian border guard and attempted to pull him across the international boundary during a physical confrontation on July 26, according to reporting by Delfi. The violent incident occurred in the area overseen by the Kapčiamiestis Frontier Station as officers intercepted migrants emerging from an underground tunnel.

According to Delfi, the confrontation erupted after Lithuanian border guards discovered the underground passage leading beneath the state border from Belarus. Officers were detaining several individuals exiting the tunnel when 20 more migrants emerged and assaulted the law enforcement personnel using sticks and stones. During the resulting scuffle, the group tried to drag a Lithuanian officer back to Belarus, though the guard managed to break free and escape.

Vitalijus Jagminas, chairman of the Trade Union of Vilnius County Pre-trial Investigation Institutions, told Delfi that the assaulted officer sustained injuries during the clash and is currently on sick leave. Lina Laurinaitytė, a representative of the State Border Guard Service (VSAT), stated that the agency does not comment on the situation while pre-trial investigations are ongoing.

Investigation and Official Response

The encounter came to public attention after Vilma Danauskienė, a member of the Lazdijai District Municipal Council, posted about the breach on Facebook. In her social media post, she questioned VSAT Commander General Rustamas Liubajevas regarding the decision to deploy only four officers to confront more than 20 migrants.

Minister of the Interior Martynas Katelynas acknowledged that he had been informed about the incident, though he noted he was not informed to full extent as he was simply told that digging of a tunnel was prevented. Following the report, an internal investigation was launched into the actions of the VSAT leadership. On July 27, a pre-trial investigation was opened into unlawful crossing of the state border.

Wider Border Pressures

The tunnel incident unfolds against a backdrop of migration pressures along the European Union’s eastern frontier with Belarus. According to data from the EU border agency Frontex and reports from the BBC, migrants have arrived in Minsk via flights from the Middle East before traveling overland toward the borders of Poland and Lithuania. European officials have accused Belarusian authorities of orchestrating the arrival of migrants in retaliation against EU sanctions, an allegation that Belarus has denied. While the European Union and member states like Poland and Lithuania have reinforced physical barriers and stepped up border patrols, underground tunneling and forced breaches remain a challenge for front-line security personnel.