Latvia says armed masked men from Belarus threatened its troops at border
Version 2: Two official Russian outlets, TASS and RIA Novosti, have now picked up the Latvian account, with TASS citing the Delfi portal that three people accompanied the group and threatened Latvian soldiers.
In short
Latvia's interior minister, Jānis Dombrava, said masked people illegally crossed into Latvia from Belarus after the military stopped about 20 migrants from entering. Latvia's National Armed Forces said the migrants were accompanied by armed, masked men who threatened Latvian soldiers, and that hours later the group re-entered Latvia, damaged an electrical box and stole surveillance cameras before returning to Belarus. Belarus has not commented, and Russian state outlets have now picked up the Latvian account.
Read the full story 2 min read
Latvia's interior minister, Jānis Dombrava, said unknown people in masks illegally crossed from Belarus onto Latvian territory, in a statement he posted on the social network X. The claim was reported by RBC, Kommersant, Meduza and Vedomosti. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Latvia's National Armed Forces said at least 20 migrants tried to enter Latvia from Belarus on October 5, and that the group was accompanied by masked people carrying weapons. The military press service said soldiers prevented the attempted illegal border crossing, and that the armed men threatened Latvian service members. Dombrava said the armed people stayed on the Belarusian side of the border and “actively pushed and directed the group of migrants toward Latvia”. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Hours later, according to the minister and the armed forces, the masked people crossed onto Latvian territory, damaged an electrical distribution box and stole surveillance cameras, then returned to Belarus before a border patrol arrived. TASS, citing the Delfi portal, reported that three people accompanied the group and threatened Latvian soldiers; the other outlets did not give a number. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Dombrava wrote that “unlike many previous cases, this time the provocation was especially demonstrative and aggressive”, adding that “Belarus should understand that such cases could lead to heavier consequences for Belarus itself”. Kommersant reported that Belarusian authorities have not commented on the Latvian statements. RIA Novosti carried a headline reporting Latvia's statement about an attempted crossing by undocumented migrants. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
Latvia has strengthened protection of its eastern border and launched the operation “Vilkatis” as a coordinated response to what the documents describe as a hybrid threat of illegal migration from Belarus. The enhanced border regime runs until the end of 2026. In June 2026, 2,200 such crossing attempts were stopped, against 1,700 in April, according to Kommersant. Fully closing the border would carry economic costs: the hauliers' association warned of lost transit revenue, jobs and part of the international transport market. In August 2023, a rise in crossing attempts led to emergency mobilization of border guards, with 96 cases recorded in a single day. [ 2 ]
Meduza recalled that migrant flows toward the EU border with Belarus rose sharply in 2021, and that the EU blamed Belarusian authorities, saying their law enforcement officers not only failed to stop illegal migrants but brought them to the border zone. Latvian and Lithuanian border guards regularly stop attempts by illegal migrants to enter from Belarus. Vedomosti also cited an August 21 Der Spiegel report that another tunnel had been found under Latvia's border with Belarus, which could have been used for illegal entry into the EU. [ 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The episode adds to a long-running border dispute between Latvia and Belarus, which the EU has blamed for migrant pressure on its eastern edge. It comes while Latvia runs an enhanced border protection regime and the operation “Vilkatis”, and a full border closure would carry costs for the transit and haulage sector. Dombrava's warning that such incidents could have heavier consequences for Belarus signals the case is being treated as more than a routine border episode.
Key facts
- Latvia's interior minister, Jānis Dombrava, said masked people illegally crossed from Belarus into Latvia and called the case a particularly demonstrative and aggressive provocation. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Latvia's National Armed Forces said at least 20 migrants tried to enter Latvia from Belarus on October 5, accompanied by masked people carrying weapons. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The military said soldiers prevented the attempted illegal border crossing, and that the armed men threatened Latvian service members. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Officials said the masked group later crossed into Latvia, stole surveillance cameras and damaged an electrical distribution box, then returned to Belarus before border guards arrived. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- TASS, citing the Delfi portal, reported that three people accompanied the group and threatened Latvian soldiers. [ 5 ]
- Belarusian authorities have not commented on the Latvian statements. [ 2 ]
- Latvia has an enhanced border protection regime with Belarus in place until the end of 2026 and launched the operation “Vilkatis”. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Latvia's interior minister, Jānis Dombrava, said masked people illegally crossed from Belarus onto Latvian territory. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Latvia's National Armed Forces said at least 20 migrants tried to cross from Belarus and were accompanied by armed, masked people who threatened Latvian soldiers. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Latvian military personnel prevented the attempted border crossing. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- According to Latvian officials, the masked group later entered Latvia, stole surveillance cameras and damaged an electrical distribution box, then returned to Belarus. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- The exact location and time of the October 5 incident on the Latvia–Belarus border. The documents give the date but no place or time for the incident itself; only the outlets' publication times are known.
- The identity of the masked people and the outcome for the 20 migrants who were stopped. The documents describe them only as unknown people in masks and do not say who they were, nor what happened to the migrants.
- How many people accompanied the migrant group. Kommersant, Meduza and Vedomosti describe masked armed people without giving a number, while TASS, citing Delfi, says there were three.
- Whether there were any injuries or detentions. No document states that anyone was hurt or detained.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- RBC reports that Latvia's interior minister said unknown masked people illegally entered Latvia from Belarus. [ 1 ]
- Kommersant reports the National Armed Forces' account that at least 20 migrants tried to cross from Belarus on October 5, escorted by armed masked men who threatened Latvian soldiers. [ 2 ]
- Meduza reports the accounts of the interior minister and the armed forces, including the theft of cameras and damage to a distribution box. [ 3 ]
- Vedomosti reports the same statements and cites a Der Spiegel report from August 21 about a tunnel found under Latvia's border with Belarus. [ 4 ]
- TASS, citing the Delfi portal, reports the attempt by 20 people to cross the border and says three people accompanied the group. [ 5 ]
- RIA Novosti publishes a headline reporting Latvia's statement about an attempted border crossing by undocumented migrants. [ 6 ]