Lithuania accuses Belarus’ intelligence of recruitment at border crossings

July 7, BPN. Every Lithuanian crossing the Belarusian border is a potential target of local intelligence, Aurelija Vernickaitė of the Lithuanian State Security Department told the LNK TV channel.

Lithuanian security services have been recording “aggressive” behavior of the Belarusian intelligence officers at border crossings as well as interrogations of Lithuanians who travel to Belarus, she said.

Belarusian and Russian intelligence services are “trying to recruit everyone,” not necessarily top officials or those with access to classified information, Delfi reported citing the official.

A recruited person may be ordered to spread propaganda or participate in intelligence operations, Vernickaitė said calling for caution when traveling to Belarus. The official warned against such trips unless absolutely necessary.

Intelligence services can take advantage of a person’s views and connections and install spyware on electronic devices seized for checks, she said.

Belarusian security services are looking for people who travel to Belarus regularly, with family or business links to the country, Vernickaitė said noting the danger of manipulations, psychological pressure and blackmail.

In 2022, Belarus introduced a visa waiver program for its Western neighbors. Lithuanians, Latvians and Poles made a total of 607,769 trips to Belarus under this program, with Lithuanians accounting for more than half of that number.