Lithuania has discovered 12 tunnels used for illegally crossing the border with Belarus
Since the beginning of the year, Lithuanian border guards have discovered 12 underground tunnels near the border with Belarus that migrants were using to try to enter the country. The tunnels on Lithuanian territory were up to 25 meters long, according to Deutsche Welle, citing the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service.
The service’s commander, General Rustamas Lyubaevas, explained that border guards use a ground-based seismic system that detects strong vibrations over an extended period. They then wait for the digging to be completed and detain the migrants as they emerge from the tunnel. According to him, up to 40 migrants have been detained in this manner.
The Lithuanian Prosecutor’s Office confirmed to DW that it is conducting a pre-trial investigation into approximately 20 individuals suspected of illegally digging the tunnel. Possible charges may also include human smuggling. Due to the investigation, media representatives are currently not being allowed access to the sites where the tunnels were discovered.
For more breaking news, follow the UA.News Telegram channel.
Lubajevas believes that the migrants could not have built such tunnels without logistical support and materials, particularly wood to reinforce the walls. He suggested that the Belarusian authorities may be involved in maintaining tensions at the border. Alexander Lukashenko has previously denied facilitating migration flows to neighboring countries.
Margarita Šešelgite, director of the Institute of International Relations and Political Science at Vilnius University, stated that the Belarusian side could, at the very least, have turned a blind eye to the digging of tunnels near the border, which, according to her, is under close surveillance. She described the use of the tunnels as a hybrid attack aimed at heightening anxiety in Lithuanian society. In her view, the goal of such actions may be to weaken support for Ukraine and undermine European unity.
Linas Kojala, director of the Center for Geopolitics and Security, described the tunnels as a new phase in the use of migration as a tool of pressure, which countries in the region have been facing since 2021. Lithuania shares a border of about 700 kilometers with Belarus, approximately 550 kilometers of which is fenced. In 2025, Lithuanian border guards recorded 1,652 attempts to enter the country illegally. Lithuania is also testing Polish ground-scanning equipment capable of detecting underground cavities.
