On Tuesday, 6 October, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to extend Operation “VILKATIS” – an operation to combat illegal migration being carried out in Latvia’s eastern border area, until the end of this year – 31 December.
Given the ongoing work to restore border infrastructure damaged by the storms of 22–23 August and efforts to strengthen the capacity of the State Border Guard, including by expanding the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, the government decided to extend the security operation. Accordingly, security along the Latvia–Belarus border will continue to be subject to enhanced monitoring in order to prevent illegal migration.
The instrumentalization of migration by Belarus constitutes a hybrid threat that has contributed to a disproportionately high number of illegal border crossing incidents in Latvia. During Operation “VILKATIS”, several people transporting illegal border crossers have so far been detained in Latvia, while more than 1,400 people have been prevented from crossing the border illegally. Two tunnels used to organise illegal border crossings from Belarus have also been discovered and dismantled.
More than 11,000 people have been deterred from crossing the state border illegally so far this year. Transporting and accommodating illegal border crossers constitute criminal offences. A total of 155 criminal proceedings have been initiated for the illegal movement of people across the state border and the organisation of such activities. Amendments to the Criminal Law proposed by the Ministry of Justice are currently before the Saeima; the amendments propose tougher penalties for organising illegal border crossings – up to 12 years’ imprisonment.
Operation “VILKATIS” is coordinated by the Crisis Management Centre of the State Chancellery, while its implementation primarily involves the services of the Ministry of the Interior – the State Border Guard and the State Police, and the National Armed Forces. Soldiers of the National Armed Forces and members of the National Guard carry out border surveillance and patrols, provide logistical and transport support, and perform engineering works necessary to strengthen the security of the country’s external border.
To ensure the security of Latvia’s eastern border, Operation “VILKATIS” was launched on 11 August. It is Latvia’s targeted and coordinated response to a hybrid threat – the instrumentalization of illegal migration by Belarus. The Operation aims to significantly reduce the number of illegal border crossings in eastern Latvia and to prevent such incidents in the future.
