110 migrants were detained on Monday, and the Belarusian side did not “see” them for hours.

During the day, that is, all of Monday, border guards detained 110 migrants from Belarus who crossed the border illegally, according to preliminary data.

Tuesday evening around 2.30 pm Border guards at the Švenčionys firebreak noticed three men and a woman from Belarus approaching the border line, no doubt planning to enter Lithuania illegally. After seeing SBGS officers patrolling their territory, the migrants fled to cross the border. They stopped a few meters from the border line and sat on the ground looking at the Lithuanian border guards. The Švenčionys firebreak agents immediately informed the Belarusian border guards who were guarding this section of the possible border violators.

There was no reaction after the first such report, neither after the second or after the sixth …

There was no reaction after the first such report, not after the second, not after the sixth, and the like. Officials from the neighboring state “received” the information, but did not “see” the people and did not react in any way. The migrants continued to wait calmly and the Lithuanian border guards headed to Western Europe. Even after more than 6 hours, that is, until 9 o’clock, the situation did not change, except that the migrants had retreated to the depths of Belarus, but did not disappear from the horizons of the Lithuanian border guards.

Later, they approached the wall again.

Recently, these cases have been continuously recorded on the border with Lithuania.

For hours, Belarusian officials have not responded to reports of migrants waiting at the border.

Of the 110 migrants detained on Monday, 93 presented themselves as Iraqi citizens or had Iraqi documents.

Photo by SBGS / Detained Migrants

The foreigners detained on Monday will be screened for COVID-19 and isolated until the results are available. The circumstances of the events are clarified, investigations are carried out. Asylum seekers have been notified by the Department of Migration, which processes such applications.

This year, 2,839 illegal immigrants tried to enter Lithuania from Belarus until midnight Monday through Tuesday. This figure is 35 times higher than in 2020. Last year, 81 of these foreigners were arrested on the other side of the border with Lithuania. 2019 46 illegal immigrants were caught by border guards in 2018; – 104, 2017 – 72.

This July, border guards detained 2,180 migrants. There were 473 in June, 77 in May, 70 in April, and 8 in March.

Among those detained on the border with Belarus this year are mostly Iraqi nationals or foreigners who came forward: 1,724. There were also 191 Congolese, 129 Cameroonians, 83 Russians, 81 Iranians, 78 Guineans, 77 Afghans and Syrians and other citizens.

Photo by SBGS / Detained Migrants

Since the beginning of the year, according to preliminary data, the highest number of migrants was detained in the municipality of Druskininkai: 652. 637 foreigners illegally arrived from Belarus were detained in the district of Šalčininkai, Varėna – 543, Ignalina – 432, Švenčionys – 291, Lazdijai – 167.
A large part of the detainees seek to enter Western European countries through Lithuania.

With a significant increase in the number of such cases, SBGS has strengthened border security with Belarus. In addition to various organizational measures, officials from other SBGS units were assigned to this section and additional technical resources were assigned.

In addition, the border guards were assisted by forces from other Lithuanian institutions, including the army, as well as officials from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency FRONTEX and Estonia.

Note: All the above stats are primary due to the ever-changing situation and are subject to change at any time. Said daily notices are published daily from 00.00 hours. data recorded until the next midnight.