Lithuania sends troops to the border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad

Lithuania will, as a preventive measure, reinforce its border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad by deploying up to 100 soldiers to support the border police in the coming weeks.

Lithuanian Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas said Thursday that he had asked Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas to approve the deployment of the troops. Kaunas confirmed the measure and said that the forces would monitor the border, while the number of soldiers and the duration of the operation could be adjusted depending on how the situation develops.

Lithuanian officials stressed that the border is calm and that the deployment is preventive in nature. The decision comes amid concerns about regional security, a recent incident on Latvia’s border with Belarus, and indications of possible mobilization in Russia. In the Latvian case, masked individuals allegedly attempted to help a group of migrants cross the border illegally.

Lithuania, a member of the European Union and NATO, borders both Kaliningrad and Belarus, an ally of Russia. Vilnius has intensified its security measures since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

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