Poland unveils ‘East Shield’: Massive defence barrier to fortify borders with Russia and Belarus

Poland has revealed plans to build a line of minefields, bunkers, and anti-tank trenches along its borders with Russia and Belarus.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk earlier this month announced plans to build a 10 billion zloty (£2 billion) defence barrier to render NATO's eastern flank "impassable to a potential enemy," but he did not offer many specifics.

A network of steel barriers, palisades, and concrete anti-tank "hedgehogs" interwoven with earthworks is visible along 434 miles of frontier, according to simulations shown on Monday.

Poland's defence minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, stated that the 'East Shield' deterrent and defence strategy is the greatest operation to secure Poland's eastern border and NATO's eastern flank since 1945. It will be a mix of contemporary technologies, fortifications, and topography.

He said that in addition, the government will request for financing for the border wall from the European Union. The project is scheduled to begin this year and be finished by 2028.

East Shield has been promoted as a deterrent to prevent an assault from Russia. Polish media have termed it the "Tusk line." Plans are purportedly being developed in cooperation with Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

It is not to be confused with a wall built along the border to prevent migrants from Belarus from crossing. A complex network of trenches, bunkers, and tank traps is depicted on the designs. Mines would only be set if it seemed like war might break out.

Poland borders Belarus, Russia's close ally, by 170-miles, and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad by 130 miles. With thousands of migrants and refugees entering Europe across the border with Belarus—mostly from the Middle East—it has turned into a hotspot for security.

This has been called a "hybrid war of migration" by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who is assisted by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

“Those are not refugees, those are less and less migrants, families, poor people needing help. In 80 per cent of the cases, these are organised groups of men, aged 18 to 30, very aggressive,” Tusk added.

(With inputs from agencies)