Latvia Strikes New Restrictions at Russia Border Amid Refugee Surge

RIGA, Latvia — Latvia has announced new restrictions at its border with Russia and Belarus, limiting crossings to motor vehicles only, due to what it claims is a surge in refugees. The ban, approved by the Latvian government on March 18, 2025, is a response to accusations that Russia and Belarus are manipulating migration flows to destabilize the region.

“The decision to restrict the operations of these border checkpoints has been taken according to the risks of hybrid threats and migration crises,” the government stated, attributing the increase in border traffic to “strategies implemented by Russia and Belarus aimed at organizing migration flows detrimental to EU member states.”

According to Guntis Pujats, chief of Latvia’s border guard service, officials have noted “organized groups” of migrants attempting to cross into Latvia without the necessary EU residence permits or Schengen area visas. Pujats remarked on Latvian TV3 that these migrants were specifically targeting border stations.

The new restrictions will become effective on March 19 and will apply at the Terehova and Grebneva checkpoints on the Russian border, as well as the Paternieki crossing with Belarus. The government has not indicated when these restrictions might be lifted.

In recent months, Latvia, along with Finland and Poland, has taken measures to bolster security at their borders against what they deem an intentional influx of refugees. In response, Latvia has already erected a fence along its border with Belarus and intends to complete similar infrastructure on the Russian border by the end of the year.