Second Tunnel Found Under Belarus Border in Latvia Used by Migrants

Latvian border guards have uncovered a second tunnel dug beneath the border with Belarus, which was used by migrants to enter the country. The discovery was made near Krāslava in southern Latvia, where border guards found 28 individuals who had illegally crossed the border. A camouflaged underground passage, with its entrance approximately 20 meters from the border, was subsequently found by the guards.

All 28 individuals apprehended will be returned to Belarus. This incident follows a similar discovery in August in Skrupaliena, Latvia, where another tunnel was found, facilitating the entry of 15 people. Both Skrupaliena and Krāslava are located near the Latvian-Belarusian border.

Lithuania has reported multiple similar tunnel discoveries since last year. The Baltic states, including Latvia and Lithuania, accuse the Belarusian administration of complicity in the construction of these tunnels, arguing that such extensive digging would be impossible to conceal. They collectively consider unauthorized border crossings from Belarus to be part of a hybrid operation aimed at destabilizing the region.

Following the Skrupaliena tunnel discovery, Latvia's Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava stated that further searches for tunnels along the Latvian border would be conducted.