On Wednesday afternoon, officers of the Kybartai border checkpoint of the VSAT Pagėgiai border team monitored the railway bridge connecting Lithuania and Russia with technical border control measures as usual. It crosses the Liepana stream, which runs along the state border. Right here is the Kybartų railway station and the border checkpoint, through which transit passenger and cargo trains are checked by Lithuanian officials to and from the Kaliningrad region.
On the order of the Lithuanian railwaymen, a project for the replacement of turns and the repair of the crossing is being implemented at the approaches of the control point. Access to this place is restricted and is possible only in coordination with the VSAT officers, who control access to the border and point by technical means.
The border guards recorded how an employee of a company working legally on the Lithuanian side and who had informed about it in advance, while carrying out control work on the railway electrical system, approached the border line marked on the bridge. On the Lithuanian side of this line, there are signs warning about the border going here.
The man, engrossed in his work and checking the panels, recklessly crossed the bridge into Russian territory. Here he was soon detained by Russian border guards.
Lithuanian VSAT officials immediately took action to help the distracted person. Soon, copies of the Lithuanian citizen’s documents were handed over to the Russian border guards, and measures were taken to return the man to Lithuania.
In the evening, a meeting of the border guards of both countries took place at the border at the Kybartai checkpoint, during which the company’s employee was handed over to the Lithuanian authorities. Due to distraction and carelessness, his “visit” to Russia took more than 5 hours.
Russian border guards administratively fined a Lithuanian for crossing the border due to carelessness and imposed a fine of 2000 Russian rubles (about 20 euros), so in Lithuania a person is not punished for the same offense a second time.
In such places, managers and employees of companies performing technical work on the border are constantly informed by border guards about the likelihood of similar events and are warned about the risks due to possible unintentional violations of the border.
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#Lithuanian #supervising #railway #accidentally #entered #Russian #side #arrested
Lithuania border guard
**Interview with Lt. Colonel Mindaugas Šuminas, Spokesperson for the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service (VSAT)**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us, Colonel Šuminas. We recently saw reports about a border incident involving a worker crossing from Lithuania into Russia while conducting maintenance on the railway bridge. Can you give us a brief overview of what happened?
**Lt. Colonel Šuminas:** Thank you for having me. Yes, on Wednesday afternoon, a worker who was legally operating on the Lithuanian side of the Kybartai border checkpoint was performing checks on the railway electrical system. Unfortunately, while focused on his task, he inadvertently crossed the line demarcating the border onto Russian territory.
**Editor:** What protocols are in place to prevent such incidents, especially in sensitive border areas like this?
**Lt. Colonel Šuminas:** The VSAT employs strict monitoring measures at all border crossings, including regular surveillance and technical control. It’s crucial that anyone working near the border coordinates with our officers to ensure they remain within safe boundaries. In this case, access to the area was restricted and should have been managed carefully.
**Editor:** How did the border guards respond after the worker crossed into Russian territory?
**Lt. Colonel Šuminas:** Once it was noted that the worker had crossed the boundary, our border guards quickly alerted their Russian counterparts. The individual was detained by Russian border guards shortly thereafter. We are in communication with the authorities in Russia to ensure that the situation is resolved appropriately.
**Editor:** What advice would you give to individuals and companies working near the border to avoid similar incidents in the future?
**Lt. Colonel Šuminas:** It’s essential for anyone working in proximity to the border to be fully aware of the regulations and boundary markers. Always consult with VSAT officers before starting work in these areas. Remaining alert and following the guidelines is critical to avoid misunderstandings and potential legal issues.
**Editor:** Thank you, Colonel Šuminas, for your insights on this matter. We hope for a swift resolution to this incident.
**Lt. Colonel Šuminas:** Thank you for having me. It’s important to highlight the cooperation we have with border authorities to maintain security and order along our borders.
