Altogether 12,294 Lithuanian citizens returned to Lithuania while 11,753 moved away from the country in the first nine months of 2026, according to the State Data Agency’s preliminary statistics, LRT reported. In September 2026, the number of emigrants was higher than that of returnees. Until now, the number of Lithuanians returning home has been higher…
Lithuania’s Interior Minister, Martynas Katelynas, has asked Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas to deploy troops to the country’s border with Russia’s Kaliningrad region, BNS reports. Katelynas said that the troop deployment was a preventive measure in response to an armed incident on Latvia’s border with Belarus. Speaking in an interview with Die Welt, Prime Minister Mindaugas…
Armed men attempted to push a group of at least 20 migrants to cross the border from Belarus into Latvia illegally on 5 October 2026, according to the Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS), LETA reported. NBS soldiers prevented the attempt, which it said was particularly demonstrative and aggressive. During the incident, the masked armed men…
The number of Russian citizens with valid residence permits declined in all three Baltic States in 2025, according to Eurostat data, Meduza reports. Since 2016, their number has fallen every year in Estonia and Latvia, but rose in Lithuania from 2019 to 2023. Estonia had 78,377 Russians with residence permits at the end of 2025,…
The Latvian government has launched “Operation Werewolf” to stop illegal border crossings from Belarus and Russia, Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs announced, LSM reports. Latvia’s State Border Guard (VRS), State Police, State Security Service (VDD), Defence Intelligence and Security Service (MIDD), and National Armed Forces (NBS) will exchange information on attempts to cross the border illegally…
Latvia’s National Alliance party, which is part of the current coalition government, has been embroiled in controversy due to accusations of racist messaging, LSM reports. First, a woman claimed that she was sexually assaulted by people of Indian or Pakistani origin, after which National Alliance representatives, including Interior Minister Janis Dombrava and Riga deputy mayor…
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs criticised Interior Minister Janis Dombrava for a letter that the minister had sent to Spain over the recent border crisis in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, LETA reported. According to LTV, Spanish officials were irritated with Dombrava’s letter, which they found patronising and arrogant, LSM reported. Spanish officials expressed disappointment…
A group of migrants attacked Lithuanian border guards after entering the country through a tunnel on the border with Belarus, LRT reported. The incident occurred on 26 July 2026 at the Kapciamiestis border checkpoint. Border guards detained the first people who came through the tunnel but were then attacked by about 20 more migrants, forcing…
Latvia has reopened the border crossing in Patarnieki on the border with Belarus, the State Border Guard (VRS) announced, LETA reports. Earlier, the government decided not to approve the Interior Ministry’s proposal to close down the checkpoint, which is the only road border crossing that remains open on Latvia’s border with Belarus. However, Prime Minister…
