Poland fleshes out details of plan to beef up eastern border

27/5/2024 17:33

        Poland fleshed out details on Monday of "East Shield", a 10 billion zloty programme to beef up defences along its eastern border with Belarus and Russia, saying it hoped to complete the plans by 2028.
        
        The border has been a flashpoint since migrants started flocking there in 2021, after Belarus, a close Russian ally, opened travel agencies in the Middle East offering a new unofficial route into Europe - a move the European Union said was designed to create a crisis.
        
        The Polish defence ministry presented details of the programme, including plans to build fortifications, hubs and telecommunication systems in coordination with other eastern frontline NATO allies - Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
        
        "This makes up one complex system of defensive and deterrent actions. It connects access systems, but we will also purchase and implement modern anti-drone and reconnaissance systems," The Polish Defence Minister said.