Since the start of the year 2026, Lithuanian authorities have discovered 12 underground tunnels along the Belarus-Lithuania border, measuring up to 25 meters long on the Lithuanian side. These tunnels are used by migrants attempting irregular crossings and are believed to have logistical support from Belarusian authorities, involving materials like wood to reinforce tunnel walls. Lithuanian border guards have arrested up to 40 migrants exiting these tunnels. The situation is part of a larger pattern of weaponized migration, with Belarus accused of fostering political instability and tensions on Lithuania’s border. Lithuania’s prosecutor's office is investigating about 20 suspects for illegal tunneling and smuggling. Experts interpret the tunnels as a 'hybrid attack' aiming to cause societal anxiety, weaken support for Ukraine, and disrupt European unity. Lithuania is cooperating with Poland and other Baltic and Nordic states, testing underground scanning equipment to detect tunnels. The Lithuania-Belarus border is approximately 700 kilometers, with about 550 kilometers fenced. The EU has previously described the migration flow from Belarus as a 'state-sponsored instrumentalization of migrants,' orchestrated by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Belarus has denied involvement in facilitating migration flows. The strategic use of migration as a pressure tool by authoritarian states is noted historically and currently in Belarus and Russia’s strategy against NATO's eastern flank.

Since the start of the year 2026, Lithuanian authorities have discovered 12 underground tunnels along the Belarus-Lithuania border, measuring up to 25 meters long on the Lithuanian side. These tunnels are used by migrants attempting irregular crossings and are believed to have logistical support from Belarusian authorities, involving materials like wood to reinforce tunnel walls. Lithuanian border guards have arrested up to 40 migrants exiting these tunnels. The situation is part of a larger pattern of weaponized migration, with Belarus accused of fostering political instability and tensions on Lithuania’s border. Lithuania’s prosecutor's office is investigating about 20 suspects for illegal tunneling and smuggling. Experts interpret the tunnels as a 'hybrid attack' aiming to cause societal anxiety, weaken support for Ukraine, and disrupt European unity. Lithuania is cooperating with Poland and other Baltic and Nordic states, testing underground scanning equipment to detect tunnels. The Lithuania-Belarus border is approximately 700 kilometers, with about 550 kilometers fenced. The EU has previously described the migration flow from Belarus as a 'state-sponsored instrumentalization of migrants,' orchestrated by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Belarus has denied involvement in facilitating migration flows. The strategic use of migration as a pressure tool by authoritarian states is noted historically and currently in Belarus and Russia’s strategy against NATO's eastern flank.