Poland building wall along border with Russia’s Kaliningrad to ‘feel secure’
- The move comes as Warsaw suspects that Russia plans to facilitate illegal border crossings by Asian and African migrants
- Building began on Wednesday with Polish soldiers carrying out preparatory work – barrier will include an electric fence
Poland’s defence minister said on Wednesday that he has ordered the construction of a barrier along the border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
The move comes as Warsaw suspects that Russia plans to facilitate illegal border crossings by Asian and African migrants.
Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said the border needs to be sealed in order for Poland to feel secure. He said he had authorised the construction of a temporary barrier along the 210-kilometre (130-mile) border.
The work began on Wednesday with Polish soldiers who specialise in demining carrying out preparatory work. It is due to be completed by the end of 2023.
Blaszczak said a recent decision by Russia’s aviation authority to launch flights from the Middle East and North Africa to Kaliningrad led him to take measures that would strengthen security “by sealing this border”.
A spokesman for the Border Guard agency, Konrad Szwed, said the barrier would consist of an electric fence. There is currently no barrier along the border, but there are frequent patrols by border guards, he said.