Poland has released a video that appears to show a uniformed Belarusian officer helping a group of migrants attack Polish border guards. The video shows dozens of people using a power saw to cut through the border fence, with some later throwing stones when Polish officers arrived.
The video was shared by Jacek Dobrzyński, a spokesman for Poland’s interior ministry. He said the incident happened near the village of Mielnik. One man seen throwing stones was wearing military-style clothing, which Dobrzyński said showed he was an officer from Belarus.
Since 2021, thousands of migrants and asylum seekers from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia have tried to cross into Poland from Belarus. Polish authorities say Belarus is helping people cross the border illegally as part of a political strategy. In response, Poland built strong border barriers in 2022 and 2023 to stop illegal entry.
Poland’s current government, which came into power in late 2023, has continued to increase border security. After this latest video was posted, Poland’s interior minister Tomasz Siemoniak said it clearly shows that Belarusian officers are working closely with smugglers moving people from Africa and Asia.
He also said that Belarusian officers are now even directly taking part in provocations and aggressive actions at the border. Poland’s defence minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, said that this incident should be a warning to people who think the border threat is not serious.
This may have been a reply to recent comments by Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland, who accused Polish border officers of mistreating migrants and criticised the country’s strict border policies. But Kosiniak-Kamysz said Poland’s safety depends on the hard work of its security officers.
Earlier this month, the defence minister also warned that both Belarus and Russia are increasing their efforts to push migrants across the border. He said this includes more violent actions, such as throwing stones and branches at Polish guards.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has announced a new information campaign aimed at the countries where most of the migrants come from. He said the message will be clear: Poland’s border is closed, and smugglers are lying when they say it’s a way into Europe.
Recently, the government also introduced stricter rules, including suspending the right to claim asylum for people who cross from Belarus. Last year, Poland also set up a border exclusion zone to stop illegal entries and reduce the power of smuggling networks.