Warsaw denounces massive attempt to breach EU border

Poland denounced on Monday the attempt by hundreds of migrants to cross its border with Belarus, the eastern limit of the European Union, NATO judging the use of migrants by Minsk as an “unacceptable” tactic.

“A few hundred people are heading for the Kuznica border crossing. A group has already tried to cross the border, ”Polish government spokesman Piotr Müller told reporters. According to him, this operation is organized “by people linked to the Belarusian special services”

An orchestrated arrival?

Brussels accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of orchestrating the arrival of this wave of migrants and refugees, mainly from the Middle East, to try to enter EU territory, in retaliation for the sanctions imposed on following a brutal crackdown on the Belarusian opposition. For NATO, “the use of migrants by the Lukashenko regime as a hybrid tactic is unacceptable”.

“We are concerned about the recent escalation on the border between Poland and Belarus (Belarus). We call on Belarus to respect international law, ”responded an official in a statement. Dozens of videos were posted to social media on Monday showing groups of hundreds of people, wearing warm clothes and backpacks, walking along a road.

Situation under control

According to a geolocation made by the AFP fact-checking service, one of the videos was taken in Bruzgi, Belarus, 1.2 km from the border with Poland. A video released by the Polish Defense Ministry reports hundreds of migrants gathered along the border, near the Bruzgi-Kuznica border post. Another video released by the Interior Ministry shows part of the border fence installed by Poland destroyed, with hundreds of migrants on one side, and soldiers, Polish border guards and police in riot gear the other.

“Polish services prevented migrants from making their way on the Polish side south of the Kuznica border post. The situation is under control, ”the ministry said in a tweet. Belarusian border guards on Monday confirmed in a statement that “a large group of refugees carrying personal belongings is moving along the highway towards the border with Poland.”

Crisis unit

In Warsaw, a government crisis cell, with the participation of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, the interior and defense ministers, met at 1 p.m. local (12 p.m. GMT). At least ten migrants have died so far in the region, including seven on the Polish side of the border, according to the Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza.

Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya criticized President Lukashenko in a tweet on Monday for orchestrating this “hybrid attack” and called on the United Nations Security Council to react in a message posted on Twitter. “Migrants are pushed to the border by armed men. Lukashenko is fully responsible for the hybrid attack on Poland, Lithuania and the European Union. Migrant smuggling, violence and abuse must end. A strong response is needed. #UNSC should discuss this crisis, ”said Svetlana Tikhanovskaya.