As Poland, Lithuania and Latvia prepare for a new migration flow through Belarus, Lithuania has reduced the response time of its troops sent to the country’s eastern border, Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reports.
Lithuanian National Defence Ministry stated on Monday, November 8, that there has been increased the readiness of troops that are deployed to assist the border guards and other officers at the country’s border with Belarus. Some troops have also been redeployed to locations closer to the border.
Read also: Latvia prepares an action plan in response to situation on Polish-Belarusian border
«This situation is not a military invasion or a direct threat to the country’s territorial integrity,» Chief of Defence Valdemaras Rupšys said in the statement. «This is illegal migration organised [by the Minsk regime] against our country.»
«Institutions under the Interior Ministry are reacting to it, while the Lithuanian military maintains one of its peacetime functions and supports the Interior Ministry’s units,» he said.
On November 8, some 1,200 troops were assisting border guards on the Lithuanian border with Belarus.
The article originally appeared on LRT English: https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1536683/lithuania-ups-readiness-of-troops-at-belarus-border
Lithuania reduces response time to 1 200 military personnel on border over migration
