The Polish Border Guards discovered another illegal tunnel under the border fence with Belarus this week. It is the fourth one this year. The tunnel is used by Belarus to push immigrants into Poland in order to destabilise the country, Polish authorities say.
According to statements by the Polish authorities on 12 December, this time the tunnel ran 50 metres (164 feet) from the Belarusian side to 10 metres (33 feet) on the Polish side. The tunnel was discovered as between 130 and 180 people got through, with the majority being apprehended. Poland calls them illegal immigrants and blames the Belarusian government for allowing this to happen. Border Guards, Polish soldiers and the police also arrested a Polish and a Lithuanian citizen who authorities say were waiting to traffic the immigrants further into the European Union.
3,000 cameras
Since January 2022, Poland has been putting up a 187-kilometre (116-mile) long border fence with Belarus, in an attempt to stop people from entering the country. The fence is 5.5 metres (18 feet) high, includes barbed wire on top and has an extended electronic “fence” of 3,000 cameras of over 206 kilometres (128 miles0. The cameras are equipped with night vision and movement sensors. The total cost of the border fence is estimated to be about EUR 500 million, the operational cost of rotating military patrol units not included. | © 2025 Marcel Burger, nordicreporter.com. Featured photo: Polish Border Guards at the fence with Belarus, June 2022 (Photo: Straż Graniczna)