Polish authorities have revealed that a group of 20 people engaged in the dismantling of security devices along the border between Belarus and Poland, throwing stones and branches, with one brandishing a smooth-bore firearm at a Polish patrol.
According to local media, on Thursday, August 24, there were a total of 175 documented attempts to break the border. Meanwhile, on August 23, border guard reports indicated that 60 foreign nationals attempted to enter Poland.
“Today, we can see how much the barrier built by the Law and Justice government is needed. And how wrong those who did not want it were,” Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki pointed out.
Since the beginning of the year, the Border Patrol has successfully prevented nearly 20,000 attempts to cross the border irregularly. As a result, border guards have also apprehended 465 persons who allegedly aided and encouraged illegal border crossings within the jurisdiction guarded by the Podlaski Border Guard Unit.
Moreover, on August 24, personnel from the Border Guard Post in Sejny, Poland, executed operations that resulted in the capture of two Georgian nationals, aged 26 and 35, within the Śląskie Voivodeship.
The same authority emphasised that the persons in question were collaborators in organising the irregular violation of the national border. During the detention of these foreigners, many mobile phones, SIM cards, and various electronic communication devices were discovered and subsequently confiscated from the subsequent control of their homes.
Moreover, beyond these accusations, other procedures have been initiated, such as the process of a directive that forces them to return to their country of origin. At the same time, they are subject to an entry ban within the Schengen area, which includes durations of five and eight years.
The Podlaskie Border Guard Unit personnel have repeatedly carried out operations leading to the capture and subsequent referral to the prosecutor’s office of those responsible for organising irregular border crossings in Poland.
As a result, since the beginning of 2023, a total of 466 people involved in assisting illegal border crossings have been detained. Among these cases, 437 are related to the Polish-Belarusian border, while 29 are associated with the Polish-Lithuanian border.
Previously, Polish authorities deployed an additional 2,000 troops to strengthen its eastern border adjacent to Belarus.
In this regard, Border Guard and Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said that Poland intends to deploy a total of 10,000 additional troops on the border with Belarus as part of its strategic efforts.
