The State Border Guard Service of Lithuania has described the technical means that help it protect the border from infiltrations by illegal migrants.

As LRT reports, Lithuanian border guards state that separate attempts to cross the border have been recorded in their country. The service explains that they know this because there is a physical barrier and surveillance systems.

"Lithuania's external borders are fully protected by a physical barrier and/or controlled by surveillance systems. We are one of the most modern and advanced states in the European Union in terms of protecting its external borders," the service added.

Lithuanian border guards say their Latvian and Polish border colleagues have turned away dozens of migrants in recent days, and their number reached 160 over the weekend in Poland.

They note that Latvia's and Poland's borders with Belarus are not fully protected by a physical barrier, "which could lead to these neighbouring countries facing higher flows of illegal migration."

On 16 August, the Lithuanian government decided to temporarily close two out of six Belarus border crossings from 18 August.

Earlier, Rustamas Liubajevas, commander of the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service, spoke in favour of closing more than two checkpoints on the border with Belarus.

Poland and the Baltic States are worried about the situation on the border after hundreds of mercenaries of the Wagner Private Military Company arrived in Belarus last month at the invitation of Alexander Lukashenko, the self-proclaimed president of Belarus. In addition, attempts to cross the border by illegal migrants with the assistance of Belarusian security forces have intensified.

Poland and the Baltic States (Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia) are discussing the possibility of completely closing the border with Belarus if the situation requires it and plan to finalise the steps late in August.