Lithuania builds new defence line along border with Russia and Belarus

The Lithuanian government on Wednesday 12 August approved changes to its plan for constructing defensive engineering fortifications along the borders with Belarus and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast, including the creation of a new defensive belt.

As reported by LRT, under the plan, a 20-metre-wide counter-mobility belt will be established from the edge of the border patrol track into Lithuanian territory, while 150-metre-wide belts will be created in operational areas designated by the armed forces.

Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas told journalists that a specific plan had been developed outlining what the 5-, 20– and 50-kilometre zones would look like, what fortifications should be put in place and what decisions needed to be made.

Engineering equipment parks at locations designated by the Lithuanian military are to be completed by the end of 2028.

Under a government resolution adopted in 2024, the work was originally due to be completed by 1 April 2025. The Defence Ministry stressed the need to extend the deadline because the number of military counter-mobility engineering equipment parks has increased from 27 to 50.

The deadline was also extended for installing reserve obstacles on sections of nationally important roads and roadside areas, as well as engineering structures on bridges for attaching explosives. This work is now due to be completed by the end of 2028.

Recently, officers from Lithuania's State Border Guard Service discovered another underground tunnel in Druskininkai Municipality that is suspected of having been used by irregular migrants to enter Lithuania from Belarus.

It was also recently reported that Lithuania will acquire technology to help border guards detect tunnels used for irregular migration more effectively.

Neighbouring Latvia closed its border with Belarus on the evening of 31 July, with people advised to use alternative routes to return to the country.

On 11 August, Latvian security services also launched an operation to combat irregular migration, which will continue until the end of the month.