Poland seeks to render its eastern border impassable for adversaries.
Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Poland's already strained relations with Belarus and Russia have worsened significantly. As a result, the Central European nation wants to bolster its eastern border and has allocated a substantial amount of money towards this cause.
With an investment of more than €2.3 billion, Poland intends to safeguard itself against increasing threats emanating from neighboring Russia and Belarus, as revealed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Tusk mentioned, "We're launching a major project to establish a secure border, comprising a fortification system as well as landscape and environmental measures to make this border impenetrable for potential adversaries." He did not specify the type of fortifications to be constructed.
A week ago, Tusk expressed his concerns about a looming "hybrid war" due to the unlawful influx of migrants from Belarus. Poland, being part of both NATO and the EU, shares a border with Belarus, which is an ally of Russia, and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad to the east.
Approximately 300 illegal border crossings occur between Poland and Belarus on a daily basis, according to the Polish border guard. During 2021, the then Polish government, along with the EU, claimed that Belarus had instigated a surge in migrants to pressure the EU owing to the sanctions imposed on the Minsk regime. Belarus denied these allegations.
The previous government in Warsaw, led by the conservative PiS, constructed a 180-kilometer-long, 5.5-meter-tall fence on the Polish-Belarusian border to counter illegal migration. The fence is complemented with a camera and sensor system to monitor the border.
In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Poland's already precarious relations with Belarus and Russia have degenerated even more. The Polish government has since upped its defense expenditure and imputes Russia and Belarus' intentions to destabilize Poland.
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Given the tensions with Belarus and Russia, Poland is looking to strengthen its eastern border with substantial investments in defense. Specifically, Prime Minister Tusk announced plans to establish a secure border, including armor-reinforced fortifications, to make it difficult for potential adversaries to cross.
Source: www.ntv.de
