The provocations from Belarus are increasingly reckless: this was the first time that an illegal immigrant did it

The work is facilitated by modern video surveillance systems.

The Lavoriškės firebreaks belong to 22 kilometers from the state border with Belarus. According to the firewall chief, the modern video surveillance system installed at the end of 2019 actually covers the entire border maintained by the Lavoriškės firewall, and an Optasense sensory cable was introduced at this border.

“These two systems complement each other and it is practically impossible to cross the state border without noticing the system. With such a system, it is very easy to control migration processes, including illegal migration processes, ”A. Kirilov told Eltai.

“Our firewall is not the one that suffered the most attempts to cross the state border, there were definitely more in other firewalls. But I can safely say that we identified all the cases quickly, ”he said.

According to the firewall chief, after August 3, when the decision to stop admitting immigrants trying to cross the Lithuanian border illegally came into force, about 40 illegal immigrants were denied entry.

According to A. Kirilovas, a more aggressive attempt to cross the state border took place on Monday in the territory of the Lavoriškės border firebreak. According to him, this was the first time that an illegal migrant behaved arrogantly.
“In all cases, neither physical force nor special means were used. It was only on Monday that such an arrogant Iranian had already been changed. The migrant did not want to be admitted, he was flooded and threw stones,” he added.

However, according to the firewall commander, and in this case no physical force was required, border officials were able to persuade this Iranian and another migrant who had traveled with him to return to Belarusian territory.

“After a while, we realized that cars had come from the Belarusian side and taken the migrants,” he said.

The importance of cynologists in the border area

A. Kirilov points out that mobile teams are assigned for operational response in the border section, which are often assisted by cynologists. The firebreak commander emphasizes that cynologists are irreplaceable in forested border sections.

“The cynologists are very supportive. In fact, a lot depends on their success, as there are stretches of wooded land here. Understand that sometimes it is necessary to register people in the forest, in fact, for the most part, the cynologists they do their job, and then the tactics are to find, arrest the criminals, etc., ”said A. Kirilov.

The firewall commander also emphasizes that to successfully protect the border section, it is necessary to be well oriented in it, to know its geographical characteristics.

“The biggest pillar is for people who know the section, who can react quickly, imagine places, know how to identify violations. Here are the cases of tracking and blocking, the ability to behave in nature, orientation, etc. This is the biggest focus on those people. But there are always those around you who just need to be trained, ”he explained.

The commander points out that the Frontex officers working on the firewall are of great help to the Lithuanian border guards, but according to him, the most important thing is a swift and swift response, the success of which depends on the officers who know the border section best. .

A. Kirilov also states that there is no clearer trend on when or where along the firewall migrants often try to cross the state border.

“I tried to install a system, it is not a system. And in the middle of the day, at night, in the afternoon and in the morning. There is no system even by location. Along the stretch, 22 kilometers, these violations they were registered in several directions ”, he affirmed.

The number of Belarusian border guards varies

According to Kirilov, the number of Belarusian officials at the border varies. Still, according to him, a special mass of forces has not been registered recently.

“There are, of course, escalations. There were also escalations in August, and I saw a lot of officers who were still separating after 15, let’s not forget they also had Zapad exercises with them. But we haven’t seen much mass lately,” he said .

The commander of the firewall ensures that there were no exceptional situations at the border during the Zapad exercise.

“Of course, our surveillance was, as always, great, we saw the adjacent territory, its guards, its weapons, they did not increase, nor any other equipment, nor the ammunition of the weapons did not change, but to be dangerous in some exceptional situations, it was not found ”, he assured.

However, A. Kirilov points out that there are also cases on the Lavoriškės firebreak when Belarusian border guards line up with shields and no longer allow inverted migrants to enter their territory.
“There have been cases where they specifically don’t allow people to go back to their territory, line up with shields, make a firebreak,” said A. Kirilov.

Newcomers’ citizenship has changed, migration organizers seek a broader market
The Lavoriškės firebreak commander points out that since border guards had the opportunity to hand over migrants trying to cross the border illegally, the citizenships of those trying to enter Lithuania have also changed.

“Citizenship has changed. In July, while asylum applications were still being accepted, Iraq dominated.” Now that we no longer admit, it is no longer Iraqi citizens who dominate, now Cuba, India, Sri Lanka, Iran, “he said.

According to A. Kirilovas, this is due to the fact that information on the reversion policy followed in Lithuania did not reach all countries.

“Organizers of illegal migration are still looking for a wider market. And the information may not have traveled to all countries yet,” said the firewall commander.