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Political crisis initiated by the regime of Alexander Lukashenka. Polish-Belarusian border brief - update by 13 December

14.12.2021

Situation at the Poland-Belarus border_baner

RECENT BORDER INCIDENTS:

Since the beginning of December, the Polish Border Guard recorded 838 attempts to illegally cross the border from Belarus to Poland. Throughout the current month, the number of attempts has significantly decreased and is now comparable to numbers recorded at the beginning of August.

About 164 third country nationals were apprehended or otherwise further proceed. Top 5 nationalities identified are: Iraqis, Syrians, Afghans, Turks, Iranians.

Despite the decrease in the number of migrants illegally crossing the Polish-Belarusian border, the Polish forces continue to prevent some attempts to forcibly cross the border by groups of migrants. The groups are now usually smaller in size but some of them are still supervised and coordinated by the Belarusian services which use laser lights and flashlights to distract and provoke.

According to the available various sources, Afghan nationals who have previous connections with Russia are present among migrants staying in Belarus. Some of those migrants might have completed Russian military courses and might be military trained.

Frontex warns that in the event of a successful closure of air routes to Belarus, the flow of migrants may be diverted through Russian airports in order to maintain the current migratory pressure.

  • 12.12.2021 – un uneasy weekend (10-12 December) on the PL-BY border. On 12 December, at about 22:00, a group of 60 migrants attempted to forcibly cross the border in the vicinity of Mielnik. Polish officers and troops were blinded by lasers and flashlights. The aggressive attacks on Polish troops included throwing stones and wooden pieces. Polish services stopped a group of 27 foreigners who forced the border using a special platform thrown over the fence.
  • 11.12.2021 – a faild attempt to cross the border by a group of 55 foreigners in the vicinity of Czeremcha.
  • 10.12.2021 – a faild attempt to cross the border by a group of 28 foreigners in the vicinity of Czeremcha.
  • 08.12.2021 – two separate attempts to forcibly cross the border. The first attempt took place in the vicinity of Dubicze Cerkiewne, where a group of 50 migrants unsuccessfully tried to force the border using a platform thrown over the fence. The group was assisted by Belarusian services that used lasers and flashlights in order to blind the Polish troops. A few hours later, another group of dozens of foreigners assisted by Belarusian services was trying to destroy border protections in the vicinity of Czeremcha. Belarusian border guards used lasers and aggressive foreigners threw stones at Polish officers and soldiers. A group of 75 illegal migrants managed to cross the existing dam by using a special wooden platform thrown over the fence. All of them were detained in the immediate vicinity of the border. Only on 8 December the Polish Board Guard recorded 80 unsuccessful attempts of crossing the border illegally.

To follow up-to-date information on the situation on the Polish-Belarussian border, we encourage you to visit:

 

DIPLOMATIC ACTIONS UNDERTAKEN BY POLAND’s OFFICIALS:

The situation on the Polish-Belarussian border and the hybrid action against Poland have been the subject of the following actions:

  • 7 December - FM Zbigniew Rau gave an interview for DW News in which he spoke about the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border and the sanctions imposed on the Lukashenko regime. Russia's recent actions on the border with Ukraine were also discussed. More http://dw.com/en/polish-fm-advocates-most-severe-sanctions-against-belarus/a-60041490
  • 8 December - FM Zbigniew Rau met with FM of Latvia Mr. Edgars Rinkēvičs in Warsaw. The Ministers discussed Polish – Latvian bilateral relations, situation on the Polish-Belarusian border and  joint actions within the EU, NATO and OSCE in response to the threat from Russia.
  • 9 December - Dep. FM Paweł Jabłoński together with dep. FMs of Latvia, Andris Pelšs, and Lithuania, Mantas Adomenas, as well as Johannes Luchner of EU DG Migration and Home Affairs, spoke to dep. FM of Iraq Nazar Al-Khairullah. The main topic of the videoconference was cooperation on preventing the migration.
  • 9 December - PM Mateusz Morawiecki met in Rome with Italian PM Mario Draghi. The issues related to the Polish - Belarusian border were also discussed. PM Morawiecki said: “Europe must make its borders secure. I am pleased that we agreed on our views. It was a very good conversation between two countries that treat each other as partners, but also as friends”. PM Mateusz Morawiecki in his  interview with  La Repubblica on the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border explained: “The migrants were brought in by the Belarussian regime and Alexander Lukashenko is personally responsible for them. Any appeasement is only an incentive for further provocation”.
  • 10 December - FM Zbigniew Rau met with German FM Annalena Baerbock. The top diplomats discussed, among other things, the situation at the Polish-Belarusian border and exchanged views on threats posed by the increasingly aggressive Russia’s policy. Energy security and particularly Nord Stream 2 were also covered.
  • 10 December - Dep. FM Marcin Przydacz talked with Irish Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, about the security situation in Central and Eastern Europe. Dep. Minister Przydacz thanked for Ireland's solidarity in the face of a hybrid attack on the Polish border.
  • 11 December - Dep. FM Marcin Przydacz and his counterparts from Ukraine and Lithuania signed an action plan to combat disinformation for 2022-23.Plan includes developing a response mechanism to disinformation campaigns, exchanging experience and strengthening the ability to counteract hybrid threat.
  • 12 December - PM Mateusz Morawiecki and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met in Warsaw  to discuss EU issues, migration, energy and the situation on the EU's eastern border. PM Morawiecki said: “We discussed potential sanctions which will be on the table at the next EU Council, in order to make the Lukashenko regime and its Kremlin principal realise that we are determined to defend our eastern border”.
  • 12 December - FM Zbigniew Rau took part in the meeting of foreign affairs ministers from the EU member states with the representatives of  Belarus opposition & civil society.
  • 13 December - FM Zbigniew Rau attends FAC meeting in Brussels. Among the main topics of the discussion will be Russian military build-up at the border with Ukraine and Belarus.

The previous diplomatic actions taken by Poland have been successful – at present, much fewer migrants are arriving in Belarus.

 

13 December 2021

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