NATO allies to aid Poland in bolstering eastern border defence

Several NATO countries will support Poland in constructing fortifications along its borders with Russia and Belarus under the East Shield project, Poland's National Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced.

"We have received the first statements of support for the construction of fortifications from our NATO partners," Kosiniak-Kamysz stated, without specifying which countries were involved, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

Poland also anticipates financial backing from the European Union for the East Shield initiative.

In May, Poland revealed details of its 10 billion zloty (€2.4 billion) plan to strengthen its eastern border, aimed at both deterring and preparing for potential attacks.

The project will feature new physical infrastructure, such as bunkers, minefields, and anti-tank obstacles, alongside electronic elements like satellite monitoring, thermal imaging cameras, and anti-drone systems.

The plans will be coordinated with the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, which also share borders with Belarus and Russia and are enhancing their military readiness.

The primary objectives of the East Shield project are to bolster defence against surprise attacks, obstruct enemy troop movements, facilitate the deployment of Polish forces, and protect the civilian population.

The minister also announced the commencement of a new special operation called "Safe Podlaskie" aimed at securing the border with Belarus.

"Starting from August 1, a new mission will begin, concluding the current training and border protection operations," Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

The operation will involve up to 17,000 servicemen, with the Defence Minister indicating that Warsaw is prepared to deploy additional forces and resources to the border zone if necessary.