RIGA, Aug 22 (LETA) - The situation with illegal migrants on the border with Belarus will definitely remain tense until winter, Guntis Pujats, chief of the State Border Guard (VRS), told LETA.

He pointed out that 2021 and 2022 were also quite intense also during the cold weather.

"Well, different scenarios are possible," Pujats stressed and reminded that the arrival of migrants near the borders was observed during the winter in Norway and Finland.

Mass gatherings of migrants at the border fence, as previously seen in Poland, have not been observed near Latvia. "We managed to prevent this, although there was a case of an attempt to break the fence in the presence of border guards, so we used special measures to prevent further escalation," Pujats said.

This year, there have been no less than five cases in total where border guards had to use physical force, warning shots or special means to subdue violators.

To sum up, the VRS chief does not believe that the situation will change significantly for the better at the moment. "These are, of course, political issues, because there is a national (Belarusian) 2021 setting, and so far nothing has changed," Pujats added.

As for the resources to guard the border, Pujats said that the VRS, the State Police and the National Armed Forces are involved. He also reminded that last week the chiefs of the Latvian and Finnish border guards signed an agreement allowing Finland to send border guard support units to Latvia.

"In fact, dates are already being set for support and exchange of experience, so that Finnish border guards will arrive in the near future," Pujats added.

As reported, a total of 79 people attempted to illegally enter Latvia from Belarus on Thursday, LETA was told at the State Border Guard.

So far this year, border guards have prevented attempts by 8,933 people to illegally enter Latvia from Belarus, while 15 persons have been let into the country on humanitarian grounds this year.

Last year, 5,388 people were stopped from crossing the border illegally and 26 were admitted on humanitarian grounds.

The government has extended the reinforced surveillance regime along Latvia's border with Belarus until December 31, 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.

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.