With the border tension near Belarus at a high level, the government decided to bolster security by deploying a group of 500 police officers from riot control and counter-terrorism units. This decision was announced by Mariusz Kamiński, the Minister of the Interior and Administration, on July 2 and reflects a broader effort to reinforce Poland’s border defenses. The move adds to already stationed forces along the frontier, emphasizing readiness to respond to evolving situations and to deter unlawful crossings.
Reinforcement of the Polish border with Belarus
The border reinforcement plan involves 500 additional police officers drawn from riot control and counter-terrorism units. They join 5,000 border guard officers and 2,000 soldiers already guarding the security perimeter along the Polish border with Belarus. The official communication highlighting this deployment stressed the aim of maintaining order, safeguarding national territory, and ensuring swift responses to potential incidents near the frontier.
– informed the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration on Twitter.
Deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński stated on Wednesday that the presence of the Wagner group in Belarus prompted decisions to defend Poland’s eastern border, both on a temporary and a longer-term basis. The plan includes increasing troop numbers stationed there and erecting obstacles and fortifications along the border to bolster resilience against possible provocations or external pressures.
Deputy Chief of the Ministry of National Defense: A provocation is to be expected
On Friday, Deputy National Defense Minister Wojciech Skurkiewicz warned that provocations could escalate, particularly in the lead-up to the NATO summit in Lithuania. He mentioned that the Wagner group could be employed to move forces toward the Polish-Belarusian or Lithuanian-Belarusian border and might attempt to leverage migrant networks to complicate security operations.
The situation at the border
The border guard reported that 187 foreigners attempted to enter Poland illegally from Belarus on a recent Saturday. Among them were individuals from Somalia and Iran, and 45 of these entrants chose to turn back to Belarus upon encountering Polish patrols, according to the security agency’s latest daily briefing.
Since the start of the year, border authorities have logged more than 12,000 attempts to cross illegally. Earlier data indicated around 2.5 thousand such attempts in March and April, with May showing roughly 3 thousand and June remaining under 3,000. These figures reflect ongoing challenges at the eastern frontier and the continued emphasis on reinforced deterrence and screening measures.
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“The assault on the border is underway!” reports on attempted crossings by nationals from Morocco and Algeria. The border guard apprehended a migrant courier during one operation.
“It is warm again on the eastern border. Border Guard: More than 150 foreigners tried to move from Belarus to Poland.”
– Government spokesperson: There is currently no discussion about declaring a state of emergency in border regions.
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Source: wPolityce