...
By Andrew Stanton
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Poland announced new plans to fortify its borders with Russia and Belarus on Monday.
Tensions between Poland and some of its neighbors have grown in recent years, as Polish leaders have stood behind Ukraine as it defends itself against the Russian invasion launched by President Vladimir Putin in February 2022. Poland has emerged as one of the most ardent Ukraine supporters, and it shares a significant border with both Russia and Belarus, the European nation that has most firmly backed Russia.
Poland has a roughly 144-mile border with Russia's Kaliningrad exclave and a border with Belarus that spans at least 250 miles.
Read More on News
Polish officials announced a plan to construct fortifications and barriers along the border amid growing concerns about "hostile" actions from the two allied countries, including cyberattacks and migrants being sent across the border, the Associated Press reported.
...
Polish officials said the plan would see Poland strengthen anti-drone monitoring, anti-tank barriers and ditches, on-the-ground military defense efforts and space for potential land minds, according to the report.
"The goal of the shield is to protect the territory of Poland, hamper the mobility of our adversary's troops while making such mobility easier for our own troops and to protect civilians," Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said during a press conference announcing the plan, the AP reported.
Reuters reported that the plan will cost about $2.6 billion and that it's scheduled to be completed by 2028.
The announcement comes after several members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) said they will increase protection with unmanned vehicles along their Russian borders. The "drone border" is set to span from Norway to Poland.
Newsweek reached out to the Polish prime minister's chancellery, as well as the Russian and Belarusian foreign affairs ministries, for comment via email.
Polish relations with Russia and Belarus have deteriorated since the Ukraine invasion began, stoking concerns the conflict could spill over into Poland.
Should Russia strike Poland, it could trigger Article 5 of the NATO charter, which states that "an attack against one ally is considered as an attack against all allies," meaning it could draw a response from all of the other members.
In November 2022, for instance, Poland said a Russian-made missile landed on its territory near its border with Ukraine, killing two people, though U.S. intelligence suggested the strike was the result of a partial intercept of a Russian missile by a Ukrainian air-defense system.
Earlier in May, Poland accused a Russian group called APT 28 of launching cyberattacks on several European countries including itself, Germany and the Czech Republic, Reuters reported. The cyberattacks affected government and political institutions, and the country's foreign ministry warned it was "actively working to protect critical infrastructure, build resilience and strengthen cyber defense."
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines