What happened
A group called 'Black Russians' has claimed responsibility for an incident on the Latvian-Belarusian border where masked and armed men attempted to smuggle 20 illegal migrants into Latvia.
The incident occurred on the night of October 5th-6th, and the men threatened Latvian soldiers who tried to stop them. The group eventually entered Latvia and damaged border infrastructure.
A spokesperson for the 'Black Russians', who went by the name 'Neman', posted a video on social media claiming responsibility for the incident and promising to continue similar operations.
However, experts believe that the 'Black Russians' may be a front for hybrid operations created by Belarusian and Russian special services. Jānis Sārts, director of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, suggests that the group is likely an information operation carried out by special services.
Dmitry Halko, a Belarusian political refugee and military journalist, also shares similar views, stating that the group appears to be a proxy structure used to cover up activities and sabotage on the borders.
Latvia's State Security Service has initiated criminal proceedings against the group, but is currently refraining from comment.
