This escalation in violence coincides with a decrease in the number of attempts to cross the border in the Podlasie region, where a buffer zone has been established.
Katarzyna Zdanowicz, spokeswoman for the Podlasie Border Guard, attributes the reduction in crossing attempts to the implementation of this buffer zone. The area is under special surveillance, with increased monitoring and a prohibition on outsiders. Local residents have been urged to report any suspicious activity.
Despite the overall decrease in crossing attempts, migrants' actions have become more hostile. Over the weekend, there were 138 attempts to illegally enter Poland, with an additional 30 attempts on Monday alone. Zdanowicz confirmed that illegal migrants are employing new tactics to harass Border Guard officers, including throwing glass and using slingshots to shoot metal balls.
Polish authorities allege that Belarusian and Russian services are orchestrating these incidents as part of a hybrid warfare strategy against NATO countries. Military experts support this assessment, viewing the aggression as an element of broader geopolitical tensions.
The situation turned tragic in late May when a Polish soldier, Sgt. Mateusz Sitek, was killed while defending a breach in the steel border barrier. Sitek was stabbed in the chest by an assailant who reached through the fence. Despite receiving medical care in two hospitals, the 21-year-old succumbed to his injuries days later. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of sergeant and awarded the "Gold Medal for Meritorious Service to National Defense."
In response to this incident, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the establishment of the buffer zone along the Belarusian border, which remains in effect.
(jh)
Source: IAR
