{"id":207217,"date":"2026-10-13T14:29:14","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T11:29:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/207217\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T14:30:07","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T11:30:07","slug":"lukasenka-shift-blame-for-armed-border-standoff-to-latvia","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/207217\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0141uka\u0161enka shifts blame for armed border standoff to Latvia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

October 13, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka has denied Minsk\u2019s involvement in the early October standoff between armed human traffickers and Latvian border guards, claiming that Latvia staged it as he addressed senior security officials in Minsk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe know perfectly well, and I\u2019ve already been briefed on this, that this was all done by the Latvians themselves as a pretext to get money from the European Union,\u201d his press office quoted him as saying. The Belarusian ruler did not provide any evidence to support his claims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The statement came one day after a group called Chernyye Rusy [Black Russes] claimed responsibility between armed men attempting to smuggle 20 foreigners from Belarus and Latvian border guards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have absolutely nothing to do with this, that we [supposedly] infiltrated their territory, [sent] masked men, soldiers, who grabbed someone, captured them or pushed some group of migrants in there. You couldn\u2019t come up with anything more ridiculous,\u201d \u0141uka\u0161enka went on to deny Minsk\u2019s role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He claimed that no border incursion into foreign territory could take place without his approval. \u201cSuch matters were not coordinated with me, and this means it did not happen. I know it for sure,\u201d he assured senior security officials, praising their diligence. The Belarusian ruler also lashed out at independent media outlets, accusing them of \u201cpiling up\u201d lies about Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On October 7, Latvia\u2019s Interior Minister J\u0101nis Dombrava accused Belarus of staging a \u201cdemonstrative and aggressive provocation\u201d on the shared border in a post on X after border guards did not allow a group of 20 undocumented foreigners to cross irregularly into Latvia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Armed escorts of the group threatened Latvian soldiers from the Belarusian side and pressured undocumented foreigners to cross the border, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several hours after this conflict, masked people entered Latvian territory, damaged a relay cabinet and stole surveillance cameras before retreating to Belarus, Dombrava said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities in Minsk \u201cshould understand that such incidents could lead to more serious consequences for Belarus,\u201d he stressed. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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