Poland deploys 5,000 soldiers to border with Germany in asylum tightening bid

Poland has launched two large-scale security operations along its western and northeastern borders in response to what officials describe as growing migration threats.

"Up to 5,000 soldiers are prepared for action. We are strengthening security – decisively responding to migration threats," Polish Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced on X, Caliber.Az reports.

According to the official, Poland has kicked off its Secure West (Bezpieczny Zachód) operation, with Polish Army units supporting the Border Guard and police along the German border. 

Simultaneously, a similar operation is being expanded on the border with Lithuania.

The heightened security measures come amid escalating political tensions surrounding migration, particularly at Poland’s border with Germany. Opposition parties, including the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS), have accused Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s centrist government of mishandling what they call a “migration crisis.” The criticism focuses on Germany’s practice of returning undocumented migrants to Poland under EU regulations, which has triggered backlash among conservative lawmakers.

This week, senior PiS figures visited several border crossings along the German frontier, where so-called "citizens' patrols" have been monitoring and recording migrant movements. These informal groups, often aligned with nationalist ideologies, have drawn sharp criticism from government officials.

On July 2, Prime Minister Tusk condemned the patrols, labeling them “militias” and accusing both the groups and their political backers of “paralyzing” the official work of the Polish Border Guard.

By Sabina Mammadli