Lithuania Discovers Underground Tunnel Dug From Belarus to Smuggle Migrants

Lithuanian border guards have uncovered an underground tunnel dug beneath the country’s border fence with Belarus, allegedly intended for the illegal smuggling of migrants into Lithuania. The tunnel was discovered near the village of Latežeris in the Druskininkai Municipality during a search operation conducted by Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service (VSAT).JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Border guards used specialized equipment provided by their Polish counterparts to locate the passage. The tunnel was dug approximately 1.5 meters underground and reinforced with wooden logs and planks. It stretched about four meters from Belarusian territory beneath the state border into Lithuania. The entrance on the Belarusian side was concealed with camouflage netting. However, construction of the tunnel had not been completed, and it was never used for illegal border crossings, VSAT said. After investigators completed procedural work, the tunnel was filled in. Lithuanian authorities said they have recorded 12 attempts to illegally enter the country through underground tunnels since the beginning of 2026. The discovery marks the third tunnel found by the Varėna Border Guard Unit in recent weeks. On July 23, officers uncovered a roughly 5-meter-long tunnel near the village of Pieščiai. Three days later, on July 26, another unfinished tunnel was discovered near the village of Pertakas. That passage extended about 11 meters and contained wooden logs, excavated sand, and buckets. Other Topics of Interest Latvia Closes Belarus Border Latvia temporarily closed its border with Belarus on Friday evening following an information system failure at the Pāternieki border checkpoint. Under Lithuanian law, illegal border crossing can result in a fine, arrest, or imprisonment of up to two years, depending on the circumstances. Lithuania has faced increased security concerns along its border with Belarus amid ongoing migration pressure and accusations that Minsk has facilitated illegal crossings into the European Union. The country also plans to relocate emergency stockpiles of food, fuel, and other essential supplies farther from the Belarusian border to safer areas by 2027. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.