Фрагмент обложки отчета
Belarusian special services continued to act actively against Latvia last year, according to the annual report of the country’s State Security Service (VDD). The main special services operating against Latvia were named as the KGB and the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff.
Among the areas of activity of the Belarusian special services, Latvia’s State Security Service cited disinformation operations as well as support for illegal migration.
“Belarusian state authorities continued to disseminate false information in the public space about alleged ‘human rights violations’ and ‘mistreatment’ of migrants by officials involved in guarding the Latvian border. In the VDD’s assessment, the purpose of such disinformation materials was consistently to discredit Latvia and other NATO and European Union member states in Belarusian society, as well as to divert attention from Belarus’s internal problems,” the report said.
Another priority for the KGB was the collection of information on political opponents of Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The VDD has information that Belarusian special services contacted representatives of the Belarusian opposition via messaging applications.
“In 2025, the priority recruitment targets of Belarusian special services were individuals permanently residing in Belarus but regularly visiting Latvia or other NATO or EU countries. Belarusian special services were also interested in establishing cooperation with representatives of the Belarusian diaspora in Latvia who continue to travel to Belarus. In the current geopolitical conditions, travel to Russia and Belarus is dangerous. On their territory, the special services of these countries may use aggressive and illegal methods to obtain valuable information and to coerce cooperation,” the VDD warned.
The VDD also analyzed propaganda narratives promoted by the Belarusian side with regard to Latvia. According to the service’s assessment, Belarusian official information resources “deliberately discredited Latvia by portraying it as an economically, socially and morally degraded country.” Another focus was the alleged brutality of Latvian services toward migrants who cross the border from Belarus.
“Belarus continued to describe Latvia’s decisions to its own citizens as ‘unjustified’ and ‘hysterical.’ To discredit Latvia’s policy, Belarus, similarly to Russia, spread propaganda messages about the growth of ‘Belarusophobia’ in Latvia. In addition, in 2025 the VDD continued to identify targeted efforts in Latvia’s information space to promote medical tourism, as well as cultural and sporting events in Belarus.
Such messages were disseminated both by individual pro-Kremlin activists and by bloggers who had fled to Belarus. The above-mentioned actions should be viewed as attempts by Belarus to improve its image in Latvian society and to encourage uncritical Latvian citizens to travel to that country, thereby unknowingly exposing themselves to a high risk of intelligence collection and recruitment,” the VDD said.
Last year, more than 5,000 people underwent in-depth interviews and checks upon entering Latvia. As a result, entry into the country was denied to 1,764 foreign nationals, including 297 citizens of Belarus. Among the reasons cited for refusals were support for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and service in the security structures of Belarus or Russia.
Latvian services also reviewed 14,702 applications for residence permits and 8,195 visa applications last year. Visas were denied to 295 applicants, including 53 citizens of Belarus and 193 citizens of Russia.
Residence permits were denied to 144 individuals, including 70 citizens of Russia and 16 citizens of Belarus.
A total of 139 foreign nationals were placed on a “black list” after being deemed a threat to national security. Among them were 27 citizens of Russia and four citizens of Belarus. The reasons cited included involvement in Russian propaganda activities, the presence of intelligence or sabotage risks, and support for Russian aggression.
Last year, the VDD screened 1,238 asylum seekers and also completed checks on 200 individuals who had submitted applications the previous year. In most cases, the service found no grounds for refusing asylum. Negative conclusions were issued with regard to nine individuals, five of whom were citizens of Russia.
“In 2026, Belarusian special services will continue their current activities against Latvia, both in terms of intelligence collection and the implementation of active measures. The most significant threat to Latvia’s residents will continue to originate from the territory of Belarus, while the risks of online recruitment will also persist. Belarusian special services will continue to cooperate closely with Russian special services, including by developing certain types of activity in the interests of Belarus’s ally, Russia,” the VDD forecast for 2026.
Earlier, Latvia’s intelligence service also released its security assessment.