Latvian soldiers used tear gas and fired a warning shot to stop a group of migrants attempting to enter the country from Belarus, as authorities warn that attempted crossings along the border have recently doubled.
The Latvian army said on Wednesday that at least five migrants acted aggressively and threw logs at soldiers during an attempted crossing in the previous 24 hours.
According to the army, soldiers first deployed tear gas to stop what it described as unlawful and aggressive behaviour and prevent the situation from escalating.
When the individuals allegedly continued to ignore orders from officials and maintained their aggressive conduct, soldiers fired a warning shot into the air. The group subsequently retreated into Belarusian territory, the army said.
The incident comes amid growing concerns in Latvia over increased migration pressure along its border with Belarus.
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs told Reuters last week that the number of migrants attempting to cross into Latvia from Belarus had doubled recently, although he did not provide specific figures.
Kulbergs described the situation as a “hybrid threat” and said Latvia had responded by doubling the number of border guards deployed to the area.
“We have a serious situation,” he said, adding that the country had been forced to commit significantly more resources than initially expected but was managing the situation effectively.
The Latvian prime minister said border guards from Lithuania and Estonia, alongside the Latvian army, were also assisting with border security operations.
The increase in attempted crossings has caused concern among Latvian residents, Kulbergs said, describing the situation as disruptive to communities living near the border.
Latvia, along with Poland and Lithuania, has repeatedly accused Belarus and its ally Russia of deliberately encouraging migrants from the Middle East and Africa to travel to the region and attempt to enter the European Union.
The three countries have described the migrant flows as part of a broader effort to destabilise NATO’s eastern flank. Belarus and Russia have rejected the allegations.
Latvia has faced migration pressure along its Belarus border since 2021, when thousands of migrants gathered in attempts to enter the EU through Belarus. The crisis prompted Poland and the Baltic states to strengthen border controls and increase security deployments.
Polish security forces used water cannons against migrants during clashes at the Belarus border in December 2021 after migrants reportedly threw rocks across the frontier.
In another incident in December 2025, Poland said more than 180 migrants had entered the country through a tunnel concealed in a forest along the Belarus border.
The latest developments have further increased security concerns in the region, particularly as Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia remain among NATO’s strongest supporters of Ukraine and some of the alliance’s most vocal critics of Russia.
The three Baltic states have continued to closely monitor the Belarus border amid heightened regional security tensions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Belarus’ military cooperation with Moscow.