RIGA, Jan 8 (LETA) - Last year, 220 cases of damage to fencing were detected on the Latvian-Belarusian border, and border guards suspect the involvement of Belarusian services in most of the cases, Juris Martukans, Deputy Chief of the State Border Guard, told LETA after a meeting with Saeima committees.

Based on the State Border Guard's suspicions, the fencing was mostly damaged by persons acting on behalf of the Belarusian special services, but no such persons were caught red-handed. In some cases, the fence was damaged by illegal immigrants.

"Hand tools are used to damage the fence panels, creating holes through which people can crawl," Martukans added.

He also pointed out that no illegal migrants have been detected trying to cross the Latvian-Belarusian border illegally for almost a month.

The reason for this silence is said to be due to three factors. Firstly, the infrastructure built on the border helps. Secondly, it is influenced by the performance of the border guards in apprehending migrant smugglers. Thirdly, it is probably due to the political situation in Belarus, which has been affected by international sanctions. In addition, a conference on curbing illegal immigration was held in Minsk last December, which may have led to some decision to refrain from moving illegal border crossers, Martukans said.

No cases of fence damage were detected on the Latvian-Russian border last year.

From the beginning of the fence construction in 2021-2022, a total of around 400 cases of fence damage were detected on the border with Belarus.

Today, at the Saeima Defense, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee, representatives of the responsible authorities reported to the MPs on the progress of the construction of infrastructure on the border with Belarus and Russia.

As reported, no illegal migrants have been seen attempting to cross into Latvia from Belarus for almost a month, LETA was told at the State Border Guard.

Since December 10, 2024, border guards have not detected any attempts to illegally cross the Latvian-Belarusian border. In December, a total of 43 persons were prevented from crossing the border illegally.

In the full 2024, border guards prevented attempts by 5,388 people to illegally enter Latvia from Belarus, while 26 persons were let into the country on humanitarian grounds last year.

Earlier in December, the government extended the reinforced surveillance regime along Latvia's border with Belarus until June 30, 2025.

The reinforced border security regime is in force in Ludza and the parishes of Ludza municipality, Kraslava and the parishes of Kraslava municipality, Augsdaugava municipality, Daugavpils and the Kaunata parish in Rezekne municipality.

In 2023, 13,863 people were stopped from crossing the border illegally and 428 were admitted on humanitarian grounds. In 2022, 5,286 attempts to illegally cross the Latvian-Belarusian border were prevented, while 217 people were allowed to cross the border for humanitarian reasons.

Latvian authorities consider attempts by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko's regime to push migrants across Latvian, Lithuanian and Polish borders to be methods of hybrid warfare targeting these countries.