An integrated border protection system is being created in the Polotsk border guard detachment zone

An integrated border security system is being created on the Belarusian-Latvian section, as reported at a press conference by the Head of the Polotsk Border Detachment, Vladislav Bruev.

"Currently, border sections near the 'Urbany' checkpoint in the Braslav district and 'Grigorovshchina' in the Verkhnedvinsk district are being additionally equipped with engineering systems. This will be an integrated border security system. We are currently carrying out land allocation, and the connecting section with the Russian Federation and Latvia will be covered – the 'Plyusy', 'Bigosovo', 'Druya' border posts," explained Vladislav Bruev.

The integrated border security system includes a number of complexes that complement each other and collectively work to protect against illegal encroachments, ranging from fences in various designs, which trigger an alarm signal when tampered with, to video cameras. Such complexes are already in place in the Smorgon, Gomel, and Brest border groups, on the Ukrainian direction. In general, as noted by Vladislav Bruev, the situation in the area of responsibility of the Polotsk Border Detachment is calm, as the overall flow across the border here is less than, for example, that of colleagues in Grodno and Brest.

Since the beginning of 2016, border detachment officers have detained 360 people from 16 states for violating Belarusian legislation on the state border. Of these, 12 were classified as state border violators. In 2015, there were 250 such individuals, of whom only 12 were citizens of Belarus, Lithuania, and Latvia who crossed the border at an unauthorized location. The remaining cases involved illegal migration, typically in groups or families with children.

"Our republic is used as a transit territory for illegal migrants from Asian, African, Middle Eastern, and Far Eastern countries to travel to Western Europe. In 2015, there was a significant increase in the number of such attempts compared to 2014 – a fivefold increase. Polotsk border guards detained 205 illegal migrants from Vietnam, Georgia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and 49 accomplices. These are mainly citizens of Russia," added Vladislav Bruev.

In addition to illegal migration, 47 attempts to move goods and materials worth over Br4.5 billion were suppressed in 2015. However, overall, the majority of violations are local in nature – these are violations of the border regime, rules of stay in the border zone or border strip by both foreigners and Belarusians.

Ekaterina Knyazeva – BELTA.