Latvia has closed its last remaining border crossing with Belarus at Paternieki–Grigorovshchina, effectively shutting the border between the two countries, according to reports. The move comes amid ongoing weaponized migration flows from Belarus, which have seen Latvian authorities bar over 9,000 illegal migrants since the start of 2026.
Latvia has closed its last remaining border crossing with Belarus at Paternieki–Grigorovshchina, effectively shutting the border between the two countries, according to reports. The move represents the culmination of a tightening of border controls that has seen Latvian authorities block over 9,000 illegal migrants since the start of 2026, amid what officials describe as weaponized migration flows orchestrated by Minsk.
The closure comes just over a month after Russia suspended most border crossings with Latvia, Finland, and Estonia, as The Zioneer reported in June. The Baltic states have been on high alert for hybrid warfare tactics, including the use of migrants as a destabilizing tool. Latvia has been the primary target of this strategy, with Belarusian authorities accused of facilitating the movement of migrants toward the Latvian border.
The Paternieki–Grigorovshchina crossing was the last operational checkpoint between the two countries. Its closure marks a complete shutdown of the Latvia-Belarus border, with no legal crossing points remaining.
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