Lithuania finds unfinished ‘migrant-smuggling’ tunnel from Belarus, one of dozens of suspected dig sites

Lithuanian border guards have discovered an unfinished tunnel running from Belarus into the southeastern part of the country, Meduza reports. About one meter in diameter, the tunnel had no exit on the Lithuanian side and was detected after authorities spotted ground vibrations suggesting active digging. Border officials believe it was meant to smuggle foreign nationals into Lithuania—and the head of the State Border Guard Service says they've now identified dozens of other locations where similar tunnels could exist. He suspects Belarusian authorities are either turning a blind eye or actively helping with construction; wooden supports found inside the tunnel suggest outside assistance was needed to transport materials across the border. Similar tunnels were discovered on the Belarusian-Polish border last year, with Polish authorities saying Middle East specialists with advanced expertise helped design them—part of what some analysts describe as a new escalation in hybrid warfare targeting Europe.

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