Latvian army publishes evidence Belarusian military and border units steer migrants

On 15 January 2026 Latvia's Joint Headquarters of the National Armed Forces published material it said confirms the involvement of Belarusian law-enforcement and military structures in directing migrants to the Latvian border. Documents and communications equipment linked to a serviceman of the reconnaissance battalion of the 19th Guards Mechanised Brigade (Vitebsk region) were found on a detained border crosser, and photos show Belarusian State Border Committee officials with migrants, including in military-type vehicles.

Established by. Named: Belarus (state military and border structures). Latvian Ministry of Defence / Joint Headquarters of the National Armed Forces, 15 Jan 2026. Russia is not named in this release.

Latest. Migration pressure from Belarus surged again in July–August 2026 (see separate entry).

Link to the war against Ukraine. Belarus is Russia's co-belligerent ally hosting Russian forces; Riga treats the pressure as part of the wider hybrid campaign against Ukraine's supporters.