Lukashenko denies Belarus breached Latvian border last week
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko denied on Tuesday that his country breached the Latvian border last week, dismissing an armed incursion as a fabrication staged by Riga to secure European Union funding.
Armed Individuals Attempt to Force Migrants into Latvia
Latvian officials stated last Tuesday that a group of 20 irregular migrants was pushed toward Latvian territory from Belarus by armed men wearing masks. The intruders damaged electrical equipment and stole surveillance cameras before retreating into Belarus. According to Latvia’s LSM public service media organization, the country’s state security service initiated legal proceedings following the incident regarding the formation of a criminal organization intended to commit serious crimes against national security and peace. Lithuania deployed its army to the Kaliningrad border in response to the breach.
Minsk Dismisses Fabricated Incursion Claims
Speaking at a military readiness meeting in Minsk, Lukashenko dismissed the Latvian claims entirely. State news agency Belta reported his remarks stating that operations involving entry into a neighboring state require presidential coordination, which never occurred. Lukashenko asserted that the incident served as a manufactured pretext for Latvian authorities to obtain financial backing from the European Union.
Chyornye Rusy Takes Responsibility Amid Intelligence Warnings
A previously unknown group calling itself Chyornye Rusy, or Black Rus, released a video on Wednesday claiming responsibility for the cross-border raid and promising further incursions into NATO territory. Security experts speaking to Latvian media warned that the group could be a front for intelligence services. Jānis Sārts, director of the Riga-based NATO Strategic Communications Center of Excellence, told LSM that such groups cannot exist independently in Belarus and Russia, describing the video as an information operation directly linked to both authorities.
Parallels Drawn to Past Proxy Operations
Exiled Belarusian military journalist Dmitry Khalko compared Black Rus to the masked Russian soldiers who seized control of Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014. Khalko told LSM that the entity functions as a proxy designed to take the blame for border sabotage while providing authorities with deniability. Meanwhile, Latvia’s state security service continues its criminal proceedings.