On 2026-07-21, Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) soldiers, supporting the State Border Guard, detected an attempt by at least five individuals to illegally cross the Latvian-Belarusian border. When noticed by soldiers, these individuals acted aggressively, throwing wooden sticks at the soldiers. To halt the illegal actions and prevent escalation, NBS soldiers used tear gas. As the individuals continued ignoring lawful orders and maintained aggressive behavior, one warning shot was fired into the air, after which the individuals retreated back into Belarusian territory. The incident evidences the ongoing use of illegal migration by Belarus as a hybrid warfare tool against Latvia and other EU and NATO external border countries. The NBS reaffirmed its commitment to support border guards on both the Latvian-Belarusian and Latvian-Russian borders to jointly respond to challenges posed by illegal migration and hybrid threats.

On 2026-07-21, Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) soldiers, supporting the State Border Guard, detected an attempt by at least five individuals to illegally cross the Latvian-Belarusian border. When noticed by soldiers, these individuals acted aggressively, throwing wooden sticks at the soldiers. To halt the illegal actions and prevent escalation, NBS soldiers used tear gas. As the individuals continued ignoring lawful orders and maintained aggressive behavior, one warning shot was fired into the air, after which the individuals retreated back into Belarusian territory. The incident evidences the ongoing use of illegal migration by Belarus as a hybrid warfare tool against Latvia and other EU and NATO external border countries. The NBS reaffirmed its commitment to support border guards on both the Latvian-Belarusian and Latvian-Russian borders to jointly respond to challenges posed by illegal migration and hybrid threats.