Poland is ready to completely close all operating border crossings with Russia and Belarus and deploy missile systems with a range of up to 1,000 kilometres along its eastern frontier, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said at a press conference in Giżycko, summarising two years of implementation of the East Shield (Tarcza Wschód) programme.
According to the Polish defence minister, the strategic concept behind the East Shield envisages a comprehensive deterrence system combining physical border fortifications, military engineering and long-range missile strike capabilities. Poland is currently expanding its operational capabilities to strike targets in the operational zone, at ranges of up to 1,000 km, and in the strategic zone, beyond 1,000 km. Modern long-range systems are already entering service, including Homar-A and Homar-K multiple-launch rocket systems, as well as precision-guided missile systems.
Kosiniak-Kamysz stressed that the programme to reinforce NATO’s eastern border has already grown beyond the framework of a purely Polish national project. German military engineers are participating in the construction of fortifications, layered defensive lines, anti-tank ditches and mine barriers, while specialised units from the United States, the United Kingdom and France are expected to join them in the near future. The total funding allocated by Warsaw and the European Union for strengthening the border has reached €10 billion.
Warsaw views the complete transport and freight isolation of Russia’s Kaliningrad region and Belarus as a key instrument for countering hybrid attacks and the weaponisation of migration.
According to Poland’s Ministry of National Defence, the first key sections of the East Shield are expected to achieve full operational and engineering readiness within the next two years.
