Hybrid war on a Belarusian borders

Lithuanian-Belarusian border crossing several hundred people a day. Warsaw and Vilnius condemn using illegal migration as a weapon to put political pressure on the EU and its individual Member States.

According to the prime ministers of Poland and Lithuania, Mateusz Morawiecki and Ingrida Šimonytė, it is part of the hybrid war created by Minsk. The politics also declared that in this unprecedented situation, Poland and Lithuania are doing everything to maintain the integrity of the eastern border of the European Union.

The states of prime ministers says: “we call forth on the European Commission, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), the European Asylum Support Office, all EU Member States and our non-EU partners for political and real support in facing this challenge”

On the begging of August, Polish borders guards have arrest the biggest number of refugees crossing Polish-Belarusian border ever. More than 65 people, mostly for Iraq and Iran, were caught and stopped. 

The transfer to the Polish-Belarusian border is organized by the Lukashenko regime also in relative to the Afghan people. The refugees are forced to head towards the border of the neighboring countries of Belarus. With rifles behind their backs, they march straight to the borders of neighboring countries, creating a stalemate and fulfilling all the prerequisites of a hybrid war.

There are nearly 50 Afghan citizens on the Polish-Belarusian border in an Unsarz Górny. They cannot pass the Polish border, but also cannot return to Belarus.

Lithuania and Poland wants determined actions from European Commission 

Prime ministers demand from EU a technical and diplomatic help due to fact that Lithuanian border is occupied by illegal migrants. They also called on the European Union to use its possibilities to close the route of illegal migration also by imposing sanctions on those who are responsible for organizing the migration.

European Union have met with Belarusian representative in Brussels. They are also holding talks with the Iraqi government following accusations that Minsk is using illegal immigrants, mainly Iraqis, as a political weapon in response to Community sanctions against Belarus. The head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrell and other representatives of Brussels, together with the Iraqi government, are looking for solutions to the situation. One possible step is to suspend flights from Baghdad to Minsk.

The EU could finance the construction of a fence on the Lithuanian-Belarusian border, Manfred Weber, head of the European People’s Party, told the Politico portal. Such action would be a response to the increasing number of illegal migrants whom Belarus is to help get to Lithuania.

Latvian response to Belarusian hybrid warfare

Latvia has 175 km of the border with Belarus. So far, it has only been guarded by the border guards. According to Latvian information, only on August 6-10, 283 immigrants were detained at the border, trying to cross the Belarusian-Latvian border. Considering that 343 people made such an attempt throughout 2021, the data from the last few days are extremely alarming.

That’s why Lithuanian authorities declared a state of emergency in the regions bordering the Belarus. It will last until 11 November.

MEP, and  Polish former Minister of Foreign Affair, Witold Waszczykowski said that there is a lot of people who travel to Minsk by plane and are further transferred to the borders. As he pointed out, these are not refugees. He also added that there is a possibility of building similar steel fence along border to stop Lukaszenko actions.

Future will reveal what will be the response of Lukaszneko regime. Basically, deadlock caused by people who are used as a modern weapon or a part of military doctrine create a big issue to international environment. It’s almost impossible to overcome these problems without bearing social costs.

Title picture: Grzegorz Dąbrowski / Agencja Gazeta