Hybrid operations carried out by Belarus on Polish and Lithuanian borders in 2021-2023

Abstract

This study examines the topical issue of hybrid attacks employed by authoritarian regimes against democratic states within the European Union. Beginning in 2021, after the presidential elections in Belarus, the results of which were falsified, Alexander Lukashenko, a veteran autocrat, claimed victory once again. His security services, using migrants from third countries, launched a continuous hybrid attack on the borders of Poland and Lithuania. These events have posed an unprecedented threat to both countries. Therefore, it is evident that this emerging hybrid approach cannot remain unexplored, which is precisely what this manuscript's authors aim to address. A case study method was chosen for the research methodology, which is suitable for this type of study. The findings confirm that, despite the implementation of various countermeasures, the situation at the borders of Belarus, Poland, and Lithuania remains in constant tension, thus posing a threat to the northeastern flank of NATO, especially in the context of a possible conflict with Russia.