Unknown armed men in masks have penetrated from Belarus into the territory of Latvia and damaged surveillance infrastructure along the border. They turned off a switchboard and stole video surveillance cameras, then returned to Belarus before the Latvian border patrol arrived. The information was reported by Latvian Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava.
According to Dombrava, what happened was a targeted attack on border infrastructure. A few hours earlier, armed individuals from the Belarusian side openly threatened servicemen from the Latvian National Armed Forces and forcibly directed a group of over 20 illegal migrants towards the Latvian border.
„Unlike many previous cases, this time the provocation was particularly demonstrative and aggressive“, emphasized Jānis Dombrava.Another escalation on the border
The incident follows a series of tense cases on the Latvian-Belarusian border. On July 22, the Latvian armed forces used warning fire and tear gas against migrants who attempted to cross the border illegally.
On July 31, the Latvian authorities announced a temporary suspension of border crossings with Belarus. On August 11, border guards discovered an underground tunnel near the border through which a group of 15 people had attempted to cross.
On September 15, military exercises began in Belarus near the borders of European Union countries. That same night, a Russian drone entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarusian territory.
The Latvian authorities have not reported any detainees in connection with the latest sabotage. No data on injuries or the amount of material damage has been published.
Sources: pravda.com.ua