Illegal border crossing escalates as stone attacks target Polish border guards from Belarus side.
Border Tension Escalates: A Chaotic Situation at the Polish-Belarusian Border
An informal, approachable, and straightforward exploration of the turbulent situation at the Polish-Belarusian border
🔔 Subscribe now to stay updated on Poland news
Every Saturday, we'll send you a bite-sized recap of the week's top stories. 💌 🇵🇱
The Polish border has become a hotbed of conflict, with an alarming surge in illegal border crossings and violent attacks against border patrol officers. On Monday alone, over 70 attempts to illegally cross were documented near various border stations—Białowieża, Narewka, Dubicze Cerkiewne, Czeremcha, Krynki, and even along the border river Świsłocz.
According to the Podlaskie Border Guard unit, these trespassers were not alone. They were accompanied by stone-throwing mobs and met the guards with a barrage of branches, causing damage to equipment and shattering windows of a service vehicle.
This isn't a new development: the Podlaskie Border Guard unit has been battling a relentless onslaught since the beginning of the year. They've documented a staggering 21,000 attempts to cross the border illegally in 2024, making this a significant challenge for the security forces tasked with protecting the border.
Deputy Foreign Minister Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski has been vocal about the ongoing migrant crisis. In a recent interview, he shed light on a potential shift in the situation, potentially influenced by high-level discussions between Polish President Andrzej Duda and Chinese officials in Beijing. Bartoszewski emphasized that Poland has urged China to use its influence to persuade Belarus to halt the dispatch of trained individuals targeting the Polish border.
However, Bartoszewski is cautious about interpreting these developments as a friendly gesture from Minsk. He points out that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has imprisoned around 1,500 opposition members, released only a few recently while claiming a change in stance. Additionally, joint anti-terrorism drills conducted by Chinese and Belarusian forces near the Polish border have raised further concerns. Bartoszewski stresses that while there are no Polish terrorists attempting to cross into Belarus, the opposite is true, with the Belarusian regime reportedly facilitating the entry of foreign individuals into Poland.
With every passing day, the situation at the border becomes increasingly complex, underscoring the need for international cooperation and dialogue to address the root causes of the migrant crisis and ensure the safety of border security personnel.
What’s Driving the Conflict?
- Geopolitical games: Belarus, under the leadership of Alexander Lukashenko, stands accused of orchestrating migrant flows as a means of pressuring the EU over sanctions[2][5]. This follows Russia's invasion of Ukraine, intensifying tensions between NATO-aligned Poland and Belarus-Russia[2].
- Regional instability: Migrants from conflict-affected regions like Sudan and Afghanistan are misled and funneled towards the border[2][4].
- Provocative tactics: Belarusian services push migrants into hazardous zones, such as the Bug River, and engage in direct aggression against Polish guards[2][4][5].
The Humanitarian and Security Impact
- Loss of life: At least two migrant bodies were retrieved from the Bug River in April 2025, with Polish officials alleging Belarusian forces deliberately endangered lives[4]. Over 530 attempted crossings were reported in one border region alone in 2024[4].
- Security escalation: Poland’s border guards face increasing violence, including attacks with makeshift weapons[2].
- Policy tightening: Poland has introduced a restricted zone and rejected asylum claims en masse[1][3].
The International Response
- Border closures: Poland has kept all checkpoints with Belarus closed since 2024[5].
- EU solidarity: While not explicitly detailed, Poland’s actions align with broader EU efforts to curb irregular migration and sanction Belarus[5].
- Cross-border crime: Polish authorities have detained 740 Ukrainians since 2021, highlighting transnational smuggling networks[2].
- The alarming surge in illegal border crossings and violent attacks against guards at the Polish-Belarusian border has been confirmed in the general news and crime-and-justice sectors.
- AI analysis of the ongoing crisis reveals geopolitical games as a driving factor, with Belarus, under Lukashenko, accused of orchestrating migrant flows to pressure the EU over sanctions.
- The impact of the conflict is evident: at least two migrant bodies were retrieved from the Bug River, with Polish officials alleging Belarusian forces deliberately endangered lives.
- In politics, Deputy Foreign Minister Bartoszewski has called for China to use its influence to persuade Belarus to halt the dispatch of trained individuals targeting the Polish border.
- As the situation escalates, AI forecasts indicate that the need for international cooperation and dialogue to address the root causes of the migrant crisis and ensure the safety of border security personnel will be nearly inevitable.
