Lithuanian border guards have discovered several underground tunnels dug from Belarus into Lithuania, part of what officials describe as preparations for a large-scale illegal border crossing and an element of hybrid pressure on the European Union.
The Lithuanian State Border Guard Service said the concealed tunnels were designed to smuggle irregular migrants across the external EU frontier. Euronews reported on July 29, 2026, that the construction of such underground passages signals a shift to more sophisticated and carefully planned methods of infiltration by the Minsk regime.
According to Lithuanian border guard representatives, the tunnels were part of a broader effort to organize a mass illegal crossing attempt, using irregular migration as a tool to apply political pressure on EU member states. The discovery underscores the evolving tactics in a multi-year campaign along the bloc’s eastern edge.
Poland’s reinforced border
Similar attempts to smuggle people and contraband from Belarus have been recorded along Poland’s eastern frontier. However, Polish authorities have significantly improved their defensive posture. The country completed a steel barrier and has progressively expanded an electronic surveillance system incorporating cameras, sensors, and motion-detection technology. A buffer zone has also been established on the most vulnerable border sections, and the number of border guard officers and army personnel deployed has increased.
Data from Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, shows that after a record surge in irregular crossings in 2024, the situation on Poland’s eastern border improved markedly as these measures took effect, substantially raising the detection rate of illegal entry attempts.
Ongoing hybrid campaign
Since 2021, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland have repeatedly faced large numbers of attempted illegal crossings from Belarus. The governments of the three nations, together with EU institutions, have on multiple occasions accused the Lukashenko regime of deliberately engineering the influx of migrants—mainly from the Middle East and Africa—as an instrument of political pressure aimed at destabilizing border countries and creating internal EU crises.
The appearance of underground infrastructure on the Lithuanian border marks a new phase in what authorities have long characterized as a state-orchestrated hybrid operation. While previous attempts often involved groups of people being pushed directly to border fences, the use of hidden tunnels suggests a longer-term, preplanned effort to bypass physical barriers and surveillance systems.
Lithuanian border guard officials stated that the discovered tunnels reinforce the need for constant adaptation of border security measures. They did not provide exact numbers of people who may have crossed through the tunnels before detection, but said the dug passages were clearly intended for mass movement of individuals.
The incident comes as the EU continues to support its eastern members in managing border security challenges. Measures have included financial assistance, deployment of Frontex personnel, and diplomatic pressure on Minsk. Despite periodic lulls in attempted crossings, border agencies in the Baltic states and Poland remain on high alert for new methods of infiltration.
