Latvia extends border operation “Vilkatis” through year-end amid renewed migration pressure

Latvia's government has decided to extend the border security operation known as “Vilkatis” through December 31, Crisis Management Center (CMC) head Arvis Zīle told journalists on Monday.

According to Zīle, the past two weeks have seen renewed pressure from irregular border crossers at Latvia's eastern border. Smuggling organizers are reportedly using increasingly aggressive methods to push migrants across, including physical force against the migrants themselves. Officials have also again recorded cases of surveillance cameras along the border being dismantled or stolen.

Zīle did not rule out a possible link between the recent spike in pressure and Latvia's parliamentary elections, though he stressed that such an assessment falls within the remit of security agencies, not his center.

Goals unchanged

The CMC head explained that extending the operation does not change its underlying strategic goals. The main task remains developing proposals to strengthen the capacity of the State Border Guard so the agency can handle irregular migration on its own, without support from other services. Officials are also considering wider use of technical tools such as drones and various sensors.

Zīle noted he had initially proposed extending the operation only until November 3, but after discussion within the government, officials settled on the longer deadline of December 31.

Results so far

Assessing the operation's progress, Zīle said that from early on it became evident that the gap in irregular crossing numbers between Latvia and Lithuania had sharply narrowed, meaning Latvia is no longer the region's “weak link.” Several migrant-smuggling organizers have been detained during the operation, including four such offenders over just the past four weeks.

Operation “Vilkatis” began on August 11 to secure Latvia's eastern border and significantly reduce cases of irregular border crossings while preventing future ones. Initially planned to end in late August, it was later extended to early October and has now been extended again through the end of the year.