Poland to close borders with Russia and Belarus, deploy missiles

Poland is preparing to close its borders with Russia and Belarus and deploy missiles.

Poland is ready to completely close all border crossings with Russia and Belarus if necessary. This was reported by The Moscow Times with reference to the country's Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosyniak-Kamysz.

According to the minister, Warsaw plans to deploy missiles on its eastern borders within the framework of the Eastern Shield program that can hit targets at a distance of up to 1,000 kilometers. According to the press service of the Ministry of Defense, this means strategic deterrence at a distance of more than 1,000 kilometers and operational deterrence at a distance of up to 1,000 kilometers.

Kosyniak-Kamysz clarified that long-range weapons, including the Homar A mass-fire rocket system, have been introduced into the Polish Armed Forces.

He also noted that the Eastern Shield project has gone beyond the national borders. The German military is participating in the program, and soon engineering units from the United States, Great Britain and France will also join the process. According to the minister, this is a philosophy of deterrence and defense that the entire alliance has adopted as its own.

He added that about 10 billion euros have been allocated to strengthen the eastern border.

The Eastern Shield program was launched in 2024. The head of the Polish Ministry of Defense said that within two years, Polish troops will reach initial operational readiness in many areas of the border. Earlier, it was reported that plans were being made to establish a permanent US military base in Poland.