Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) will send a rotating policing unit to the Latvia–Belarus border after an uptick in migration pressure.
The 12-member PPA police unit ESTPOL11 arrived in Latvia at the start of the week to help their Latvian counterparts prevent illegal border crossings at the eastern border.
The group includes police officers with medical capabilities, document experts and drone pilots, as well as two service dogs.
PPA Deputy Director General Veiko Kommusaar said around 50 migrants are apprehended every day, and there are no signs of the number dropping.
He called the situation “a deliberate operation organised with Belarusian support, aimed at undermining border security and the general sense of safety”.
“Since migration pressure on the border persists, the Latvian Border Guard turned to the PPA with a request for assistance,” Kommusaar said. “By helping Latvia, we are helping to keep the European Union’s external border free from illegal activity.”
ESTPOL11 unit commander Eduard Sarap said helping Estonia’s southern neighbours is an important experience for the Estonian team.
“Although there are currently no signs that what we are seeing in Latvia could spread to Estonia’s eastern border, the situation can change quickly,” he said.
“The current practical cooperation with the Latvians is a good opportunity to learn how to repel a potential migration attack while at the same time providing real support to our southern neighbours, who currently need our help.”
ESTPOL11 will stay in Latvia until the end of June.
The PPA has sent units to the Latvian-Belarus border since 2021 to help their Latvian colleagues stop migrants from crossing into the European Union.
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