On the border with Belarus, Poland is mobilizing
(B2) It's a real modern battle that takes place in the eastern borders of Europe, between Poland and Belarus. A real hybrid attack, in the true sense of the term
The action takes place in this region of Podlachia, the climate there is rather wild and harsh, between forests and swamps. We are not far from the Białowieża Forest, one of the last "primary" forests in Europe, declared a World Heritage Site.
A first since 1991
For Poland, this situation is exceptional. It is " the first time for 30 years, that security at (its) borders is put to the test Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki thus underlined before the Diet on Tuesday (November 9) (1). And this is not immigration, but a full-fledged attack, albeit a hybrid one. " We are convinced that the operations on the eastern border of Poland are part of a larger and coordinated operation which is a new kind of warfare, where people are used as human shields said Interior Minister Mariusz Kamiński.
The instigator: the Kremlin
For the Poles, there is no shadow of a doubt: the main decision-maker is in Moscow, in the Kremlin. It's Vladimir Putin. We have been observing meetings both at the political level and at the level of the secret services of the two countries for a long time. “says Mateusz Morawiecki. A planned attack: since June we knew that a political decision had been made to attack our country and the Baltic countries using the element of illegal migration »
31.000 attempts stopped
The Poles say they have blocked 31.000 attempts to cross. Several hundred people were arrested. 1800 people are in detention centres. 300 of them have decided to return to their country of origin. 370 smugglers were also arrested. The most critical moment came earlier this week, Monday, in Kuznica. About 1500 migrants attempted to cross the border. An attempt to force through.
Not much help from Brussels
Faced with this, Poland feels a bit alone. " So far, Brussels hasn't done much “criticizes the Prime Minister. The European Commission, the European Union, the Council flood us with offers of support ". But " it's like in the 'report of the besieged city' — a work by the poet Zbigniew Herbert : " they send bags of encouragement, grease and good advice »
Funding and sanctions
However, what Poland wants is concrete. First a " financial aid for the construction of the dam – the Prime Minister speaks about it to all his interlocutors, the President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen like the President of the European Council Charles Michel. Warsaw's second hobbyhorse: strong economic sanctions hitting Belarus to the heart. " The sanctions we have today, that is to say increasing the number of people who will not be allowed to enter the European Union, let's agree, it is unfortunately not a terrible sanction for the regime of Lukashenko, we also need other economic sanctions. "Finally, Poland wants determined action in the countries of origin" to block emigration at the first level ».
Frontex is not useful
On possible help from the European Corps of Border Guards, whose HQ is nevertheless in Varosvie, the Polish government does not want it. And Morawiecki says it clearly. " Frontex, you know, is more of an agency for exchanging best practices. Of course, there are some suggestions, etc. [But] this service [Frontex] is light, it is small “, he mocks. The agency " did not help much during the great crisis on the southern border. [...] If we had 20.000 reinforcements, soldiers or officers from Frontex who would come, then yes, we would really think about it. But such a situation does not exist at all. »
The mobilized army
According to the Ministry of Defense, around 13.000 soldiers from four divisions are currently serving, either directly at the border or in the rear. They are present along the entire length of the border line and support the border guards at almost all posts. They were 6000 a few weeks ago.
Engineering, helicopters and territorial defense
In addition to the land forces, the aeronautical component is present with five helicopters. They are supported by the soldiers of the engineering troops responsible for building and repairing the damage caused to the fence. The Territorial Defense Forces have also been mobilized in support, since the establishment of the state of emergency, in the protection of the border area. To these must be added the several thousand border guards and police deployed. In all, more than 15.000 men at the borders.
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
- The last time was in fact in 1991, at the fall of the USSR when the special units of the Soviet Ministry of the Interior (the OMONs) stormed the Lithuanian border posts.
Read also: A British engineer team in support of the Polish border
