Russia and Belarus engineering another migrant crisis, Poland says

Nation

7 August 2023, 11:40 PM

Russia and Belarus are organizing another campaign of migrant influx into the European Union through the Polish border, deputy Interior Minister Maciej Wąsik said on Aug. 6, as reported by Polish outlet RMF 24.

Wąsik noted that the situation is not as chaotic as it was two years ago, but it still causes concern.

"We are talking about an operation organized by Russian and Belarusian special services, which is becoming more and more intense," he said.

Wąsik pointed out that since the erection of a fence on the border with Belarus, the aggression of those trying to enter Poland has increased.

The official added that Belarusian services are involved in damaging the border barrier by expanding and cutting beams with power tools.

Meanwhile, the head of the Polish Border Guard Service, Tomasz Praga, called Belarusian services a "criminal group that manages illegal migration" and "receives huge profits from it."

He said that in 2022 alone, 19,000 migrants attempted to enter Poland from Belarus, with 4,000 in June alone. The total number of migrants in 2022 was 16,000.

Praga also appealed to the Defense Ministry to send 1,000 troops to the eastern border due to the increasing attempts of illegal border crossing from Belarusian territory.

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