Main image: Lithuania's border with Kaliningrad. by V. Raupelis / LRT
Lithuanian Interior Minister Martynas Katelinas has announced that he has asked the defence minister to deploy the military to assist border guards in protecting the border with Russia’s Kaliningrad region.
According to LRT, Katelinas said Lithuanian troops would be deployed to help secure the border with the Russian exclave.
“I have asked Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas to deploy the Lithuanian Armed Forces to assist border guards in protecting the border with Kaliningrad,” the minister wrote.
He stressed that the situation at the border is currently calm and that “the deployment of troops is a preventive measure”.
According to Katelinas, the decision to involve the military followed an incident at the Latvian border, an assessment of the overall security situation in the region, and reports that Russia could announce a mobilisation.
Latvia’s National Armed Forces reported that earlier this week, a group of at least 20 migrants accompanied by armed, masked individuals attempted to cross the Latvian-Belarusian border.
The armed individuals threatened military personnel and actively pushed and directed the group of migrants towards Latvia.
Several hours after the incident, the masked individuals entered Latvian territory, damaged an electrical distribution box and stole surveillance cameras.
Earlier on Wednesday, Katelinas said such incidents were a cause for concern but stressed that Lithuania was prepared to respond.
