British Brigadier Simon Carvel, commander of the 8th Engineer Brigade of the British Armed Forces, visited Poland to review engineering cooperation and assess opportunities for his forces to contribute to the program.
During discussions with General Marek Wawrzyniak, head of the Military Engineering Board of the Polish Armed Forces General Command, Carvel was briefed on the current progress of engineering tasks under the National Deterrence and Defense Program “Eastern Shield,” as well as planned projects for the year ahead.
“British delegations were shown a model fortification expansion at the Zapora Training and Testing Facility located in the Orzysz Military Training Area,” the Polish General Staff said in a statement. The briefing included an overview of the installation of recognition and threat detection systems, forward bases, logistical nodes, storage facilities, and the deployment of anti-drone systems along an approximately 800-kilometer stretch of border with Russia and Belarus.
Polish authorities have coordinated the “Eastern Shield” project under the Ministry of National Defense and the Polish General Staff. The program aims to enhance the defensive capabilities of both Polish and allied forces and to complicate any potential invasion from hostile neighbors.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has previously stated that the project is expected to be completed by 2028. In late November, Tusk visited the first fortified section built in the Węgorzewo region of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship.
British engineering troops first supported Polish border fortification efforts in 2021 during the migration crisis, assisting in construction and maintenance of border defenses and access roads.
More recently, British soldiers have also been part of the NATO eFP battle group stationed in Bemowo Piskie (Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship), working closely with Poland’s 15th Mechanized Brigade from Giżycko.
Both Carvel and Wawrzyniak exchanged experiences and discussed further potential areas for deepening cooperation, highlighting the shared commitment to regional security and the modernization of defense infrastructure.
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Source: PAP