Lithuanian Minister of Internal Affairs, Agnė Bilotaitė, recently emphasized the country’s strong commitment to enhancing national security by strengthening defense along the sea and the border with Russia during her working visits to Klaipeda. The revitalized Coast Guard unit VSAT has begun operations in the border region adjacent to the state borders with the Russian Federation and Latvia, in order to better protect the borders, starting from January 1 of this year.
The operational scope of the Coast Guard unit includes the territorial sea, coastal areas, seaports, and airports within the designated area, including the Curonian Lagoon. According to SchengenVisaInfo.com, Minister Bilotaitė stated, “The protection of the maritime border has its specifics, therefore we pay great attention to the training of the officers of the new unit, and the provision of modern work tools, modern equipment, and monitoring systems.”
Strategically positioned to improve risk management, speed up responses to state border violations, and coordinate search and rescue efforts during emergencies, the Coast Guard border team will play a vital role in safeguarding key assets, such as the Klaipėda liquefied natural gas (SDG) terminal within its protected jurisdiction. Additionally, plans involve intensifying the fight against smuggling and illegal migration through the implementation of dedicated migration and criminal intelligence units.
To enhance the protection of the state border at sea and in the Curonian Lagoon, advanced border monitoring systems, including radar equipment, thermal imaging equipment, and day video cameras, have been deployed. The Lithuanian border guards are also responsible for safeguarding the extensive 119.65-kilometer Baltic Sea border, with plans to repair over 100 km of the border patrol trail within the initial stage.
By collaborative efforts between VSAT and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 530 km of fencing and 360 km of concertina barriers have been installed along the Lithuanian-Belarusian border within the past year. This marks a significant improvement in border surveillance, with the entire expanse of the border with Belarus under vigilant surveillance. Colonel Juozas Rinkevčius has been officially appointed as commander of the revitalized Coast Guard Border Squad, signifying a significant step in enhancing national security along Lithuania’s borders.
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