Lithuania has completed a significant expansion of its border defenses, constructing 600 kilometers of fortifications along its frontier with Belarus over the past year, as announced by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Agne Bilotaite.
This development comes as part of Lithuania's efforts to enhance security and control illegal activities such as migration and smuggling.
Enhancing Border Security
In her interview with Ukrinform, Minister Bilotaite detailed the rapid construction of border infrastructure, which now includes special equipment and plans for the addition of patrol roads. These roads will facilitate constant monitoring by border guards using specialized vehicles, bolstering Lithuania’s capability to manage and secure its borders effectively.
"We built our infrastructure in a fairly short period of time - a year. And this is more than 600 km along the Belarusian border. We now have to prevent illegal migration processes with all our might," Bilotaite stated.
Closure of Border Checkpoints
The minister also mentioned the continued closure of four border checkpoints with Belarus, a measure initiated due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and as part of efforts to block the illegal tobacco trade and enforce sanctions.
The scrutiny at the operational checkpoints has been intensified, with Lithuanian border guards thoroughly inspecting every vehicle to prevent the entry of sanctioned goods.
Vehicles with Russian license plates are barred from entering Lithuania.
Maritime Security Concerns
The security measures extend beyond land borders to the Baltic Sea, where Lithuania faces ongoing threats from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
"Of course we feel danger because we know who they are," the minister remarked.
"We feel the support of the Alliance, but at the internal level we are always preparing for the threat that could potentially happen"
Despite the feeling of danger, Bilotaite expressed confidence in the capabilities of the Lithuanian maritime border service.
"I am very proud of our maritime border service because they have an excellent infrastructure and are in constant communication with the Ministry of Defence. And our land and water borders are under lock and key," Bilotaite said.
