Latvia Closes Border with Belarus Over Security Concerns

Latvian Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava announced on X that the Latvia‑Belarus border has been closed for technical reasons and urged citizens to avoid travel to Belarus for safety reasons. He noted that the migration pressure from Belarus is being used as a hybrid‑war tactic, complicating lawful movement across the frontier.

The government has reinforced border‑guard units in several districts, with support from Estonia, Lithuania, Finland and Lithuania’s police. Since 2021 the State Border Guard has intercepted thousands of illegal crossing attempts, reporting 12,046 prevented attempts in 2025 and 8,992 by July 30 2026. Humanitarian considerations have led to the release of a small number of migrants who were detained.

Dombrava also said Estonia will send additional border police to strengthen Latvia’s external border, reflecting coordinated EU‑wide efforts to manage the heightened migration flow from Belarus.