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Poland’s defense minister said on Wednesday he had ordered the construction of a barrier along the border with the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.
The move comes as Warsaw suspects Russia plans to facilitate the illegal crossing of Asian and African migrants.
Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said the borders needed to be sealed in order for Poland to feel safe. He said he had authorized the construction of temporary barriers along the 210-kilometer (130-mile) border.
The work began on Wednesday with Polish soldiers specializing in demining preparations. It will be completed by the end of 2023.
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Blaszczak said the recent decision by Russian aviation authorities to start flights from the Middle East and North Africa to Kaliningrad led him to take steps to increase security “by closing the borders.”
Border Guard spokesman Conrad Schweeder told The Associated Press that the barrier will consist of electric fences. He said there are currently no obstacles along the border, but border guards are regularly patrolling.
Poland’s border with Belarus was the site of a major migration crisis last year, with large numbers of people crossing the border illegally. Poland erected a steel wall on its border with Belarus, which was completed in June.
Poland and other EU leaders have accused the Belarusian government, allied with Russian President Vladimir Putin, of orchestrating immigration to sow chaos and division within the bloc.
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