Lithuania blames Belarus for migrant crisis

Lithuania, on the European Union’s north-east frontier, says that the number of people trying to cross illegally from Belarus is skyrocketing.

Over 4,000 people are reported to have crossed in Lithuania in recent months, a massive increase on previous years.

It claims that its neighbour, Belarus, is retaliating against the West for recent sanctions, by encouraging migrants from Iraq, Afghanistan and African countries to try and get inside the EU.

The migrants say they are fleeing persecution and war.

Produced by Alexey Gusev, Oksana Antonenko and Kateryna Khinkulova

Correction 25 August 2021: An earlier version of this article included an incorrect translation from the opening interview. This wrongly referred to tensions between Sunni and Shia Muslims and has been amended.