Lithuania Deploys Army to Kaliningrad Border After Belarus-Latvia Breach

Oct. 8, 2026 Russian-Lithuanian border. Laima Gūtmane (CC BY-SA 3.0) Lithuania is deploying troops to reinforce its border with Russian exclave Kaliningrad, officials announced late Wednesday, citing concerns over potential military mobilization in Russia and renewed hybrid threats. The decision follows a high-profile security breach on the border between Latvia and Belarus this week, said Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas. Defense Minister Robertas Kauna confirmed the deployment of border security, saying it was a “preventive” step in response to “signals of a possible increase in aggressive foreigners due to possible mobilization in Russia.” Kaunas said around 100 soldiers would help guard the Lithuanian-Russian border over the next two weeks, according to the Elta news agency. “The order is being executed immediately,” Kaunas wrote on Facebook Katelynas and Lithuania’s border security service stressed that the situation along the Kaliningrad border remains calm, with zero illegal border crossings from neighboring Belarus over five consecutive days. On Tuesday, Latvian authorities reported that masked and armed individuals escorted a group of 20 irregular migrants to push through the Belarus border into Latvian territory. The masked operatives damaged electrical equipment and stole border surveillance cameras before retreating back into Belarusian territory. Also this week, the Kremlin warned that Lithuania’s preliminary parliamentary vote to lift a constitutional ban on hosting foreign nuclear weapons marked a dangerous escalation of regional tensions. Read more about: Lithuania , Kaliningrad Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Lithuania Slams Airspace Incursion Denied by Russia A Sukhoi SU-30 fighter and an IL-78 tanker from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad allegedly passed through Lithuanian airspace for 18 seconds 2 Min read Moscow Accuses Lithuania of Provoking Territorial Dispute Over Kaliningrad The accusation comes after Lithuania’s president criticized a local museum’s decision to rename one of its locations dedicated to an 18th-century Lithuanian... 2 Min read Russia Accuses Lithuania of ‘Blocking’ Commercial Traffic Lithuania’s border authority told MT it had “no information” about the blockage or the build-up of freight vehicles at the border. 1 Min read EU Says Lithuania Must Allow Rail Transit of Russian Goods to Kaliningrad Russia threatened reprisals against the Baltic nation after Vilnius imposed strict restrictions on goods traveling across its territory, mainly by rail...