Event 749

{
  "attack_type": "Weaponized Migrants",
  "border_violation_countries": [
    "Belarus",
    "Poland",
    "Lithuania",
    "Latvia",
    "LV",
    "LT",
    "PL",
    "BY"
  ],
  "border_violation_modes": [
    "Land"
  ],
  "category": "Border",
  "confidence": "Low",
  "confidence_rationale": "Direct internal documents, multiple corroborating sources, and extensive reporting from reputable outlet. The evidence is strong, including interviews and primary source material.",
  "continuous_since": "2021-06-01T12:00:00Z",
  "continuous_summary": "Hybrid tactics, including weaponized migration and information operations, have been ongoing since the summer of 2021 and continue into 2024.",
  "countries": [
    "Belarus",
    "Poland",
    "Lithuania",
    "Latvia"
  ],
  "country": "Belarus",
  "defense_prep": {},
  "description": "The article investigates a Belarusian state-directed effort, under President Alexander Lukashenko, that aims to destabilize the European Union through various hybrid warfare activities. The program includes orchestrated migration flows across the EU border and information operations targeting EU societies.",
  "event_time_utc": "2025-01-23T12:00:00Z",
  "evidence": [
    "POLITICO investigation based on internal Belarusian documents, interviews with Belarusian and European officials",
    "Photographs and reporting showing migrants crossing snowy forests at the EU border",
    "Details of an official Belarusian role in supporting and guiding migrant flows and hybrid tactics"
  ],
  "evidence_quotes": [
    "Inside Belarus’ secret program to undermine the EU",
    "The Belarusian regime is running a carefully orchestrated campaign aimed at destabilizing the European Union, with tactics ranging from inciting migration crises to waging information warfare.",
    "According to internal documents obtained by POLITICO, and corroborated by interviews with Belarusian officials and European intelligence officials, Minsk’s program includes hiring smugglers, helping migrants cross EU borders and disseminating fake news targeting EU leaders.",
    "European officials say the Belarusian regime’s primary goal is to exact revenge against the EU for imposing sanctions after Lukashenko’s disputed 2020 election win."
  ],
  "evidence_urls": [
    "https://www.politico.eu/article/alexander-lukashenko-belarus-secret-program-to-undermine-the-eu/"
  ],
  "extra": {
    "category_raw": "Weaponized Migrants",
    "extra": {
      "extra": {
        "extra": {
          "evidence": [
            "POLITICO investigation based on internal Belarusian documents, interviews with Belarusian and European officials",
            "Photographs and reporting showing migrants crossing snowy forests at the EU border",
            "Details of an official Belarusian role in supporting and guiding migrant flows and hybrid tactics"
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "follow_up_by_country": [],
  "follow_up_notes": "??Belarus secret sabotage program. How Lukashenko's weaponized migrants program works.",
  "headline": "Inside Belarus’ secret program to undermine the EU",
  "is_continuous": true,
  "location_text": "Belarus/EU border (Poland, Lithuania, Latvia)",
  "media_assets": [
    {
      "description": "Screenshot capture",
      "type": "screenshot",
      "url": "/media/event_749_1763937217_bb9c7131.jpg"
    }
  ],
  "notes": "??Lukashenko regime undermining EU through covert ops. How the weaponized migrants program works.",
  "schema_version": "v1",
  "screenshot_count": 1,
  "sources": [
    "https://www.politico.eu/article/alexander-lukashenko-belarus-secret-program-to-undermine-the-eu/"
  ],
  "summary_short": "Belarus is orchestrating a multi-pronged hybrid operation against the EU, including weaponized migration and information warfare, per POLITICO investigation.",
  "url": "https://www.politico.eu/article/alexander-lukashenko-belarus-secret-program-to-undermine-the-eu/"
}

{
  "5th Column of Russians Inside (which countries)": "",
  "Attack Type": "weaponized migrants",
  "Borders Including Sea, Air,  Violation or Sabotage (which countries)": "LV LT PL BY",
  "Continuous? (e.g. Jammers)": "",
  "Country (FI;EE;LV;LT;PL;BSR;Air)\nSeparated by Semicolon": "LV;LT;PL",
  "Date": "23-Jan-25",
  "Defense Prep Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL)": "",
  "Defense Prep Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL) REF LINK": "",
  "Follow-Up Link?  (FI,EE,LV,LT,PL, BSR, Air)": "https://www.politico.eu/article/alexander-lukashenko-belarus-secret-program-to-undermine-the-eu/",
  "Follow-Up NOTES": "",
  "Follow-Up incl. Investigation, Prosecution?  (FI,EE,LV,LT,PL, BSR, Air)": "??Belarus secret sabotage program. How Lukashenko's weaponized migrants program works. ",
  "Latitude, Longitude (WGS84, Decimal Degrees)": "",
  "NOTES": "??Lukashenko regime undermining EU through covert ops. How the weaponized migrants program works.",
  "Political Disruptions w/ Laws to Favor Kremlin (which countries)": "",
  "Russian-Belarus Terrorist Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL)": "",
  "Russian-Belarus Terrorist Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL) REF LINK": "",
  "Screen Snapshot": "",
  "Screen Snapshots": "",
  "Type Dropdown": "",
  "Where?\n(Air, Land, Sea)": ""
}