Poland has completely closed all border crossings, including railways, with Belarus since midnight on 12 September. It is doing so in response to joint military exercises between Russia and Belarus, dubbed ‘Zapad-2025’, which involve nuclear drills and the mobilisation of thousands of troops in the region.
On the railways, this closure is resulting in the infrastructure being cut off with elements that prevent passage.
The Polish government, led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, justified the decision on national security grounds in view of the Russian-Belarusian military deployment near its territory, which will run until 16 September.
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There are fears that these manoeuvres will increase tension and risk direct conflict, especially after the recent violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones and increasing migratory pressure with almost 14,000 illegal crossing attempts in three months.
The measure affects both freight and passenger traffic, leaving all land accesses closed until further notice. The Polish authorities will only consider reopening the border when they are fully convinced that they can guarantee the safety of their citizens. Russia has criticised the closure, warning that it will damage international trade.