Latest news with #EastShield
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Polish troops show part of fortifications on border with Russia
Polish troops have shown a section of engineering fortifications on the Polish-Russian border, constructed under the East Shield programme. Source Polish news portal RMF24, as reported by European Pravda Details: Photos show the fortifications in the village of Rutka, located in Gmina Barciany, administrative district in Kętrzyn County. They are being built as part of East Shield – Poland's national deterrence and defence programme. At the event, Lieutenant General Stanisław Czosnek, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, emphasised that Poland, as a self-respecting country, has its own defence preparedness plans. Fortifications on the Polish-Russian border. Photo: Polish Press Agency Quote from Czosnek: "The security environment in our region has significantly deteriorated. We are in a state of hybrid war, and we are acting in advance. We started defensive measures much earlier (...). The expansion of the East Shield along the border with Russia is taking place in Rutka, but we are doing the same along the border with Belarus and in the area near Ukraine." Details: He underlined that the engineering fortifications are the most visible element, but "the East Shield programme is multi-layered". Czosnek explained that the programme includes reconnaissance, early warning systems, chemical protection, logistics systems, military defence, mobility and countermobility and adapting medical infrastructure to the needs of the armed forces in the region. The military personnel are cooperating with all government institutions and local authorities, as well as the ministries of agriculture, infrastructure and digital affairs. Czosnek also stated that the troops do not expropriate private property when planning such investments. Quote from Czosnek: "There were a lot of concerns about land acquisition. We have been working here for a year. There are no expropriations. The troops use state treasury lands, military facilities or property belonging to local authorities. There is not a single case where private property has been affected." Details: Major General Marek Wawrzyniak, Head of the Military Engineering Directorate, also took part in the event near the Russian border. Quote from Wawrzyniak: "We are aware that any fortification is merely an obstacle if not secured, so firing positions, shelters for soldiers and firing points for equipment are being built here. When planning, we rely on experience gained in Ukraine and other operations. This location is a good example of how engineering obstacles should be positioned in the field. On one side, there is forest, and on the other – swampy terrain, which provides an anti-mobility advantage." Details: He noted that under the planning and construction of the East Shield, the troops have acquired land in 30 settlements, where work is already under way. Reconnaissance has been conducted in over 70 settlements and locations. Background: At the end of last year, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the start of construction of the East Shield fortification system along the borders with Russia and Belarus. The decree to establish the national deterrence and defence programme East Shield, with a budget of PLN 10 billion (about US$2.6 billion) for implementation from 2024 to 2028, was adopted by the Polish government on 10 June last year during an off-site meeting in Białystok. Earlier, it was reported that Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland would appeal to the European Union for funding to build a network of bunkers, barriers, defensive lines and military depots along the borders with Russia and Belarus. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Washington Post
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Trump should build a wall between Russia and Ukraine
President Donald Trump believes in border walls. 'Walls work,' he has said, and he remains determined to finish his wall on the U.S. southern border that Democrats obstructed in his first term. In the meantime, here's an idea: Trump should build a wall between Russia and Ukraine. Right now, Poland is building one across its entire 400-mile frontier with Russia and Russia-allied Belarus. Polish officials went to school on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and came up with a border barrier specifically designed to stop the Russian army. The project, dubbed 'East Shield,' began construction in October and will combine old-school physical barriers with high-tech surveillance systems.
Sky News
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Inside a NATO base in Poland - as residents bordering Russia say 'scare tactic' is needed
Along the thin strip of beach and woodland known as the Vistula Spit which marks the northernmost demarcation between Poland and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, there is not much in the way of a border. Just some torn wire fencing and a few rotten posts which seem to stagger drunkenly into the shallows of the Baltic Sea. Beneath a sign barring entry, we find a couple of empty bottles of Russian cognac and vodka. It doesn't feel like the edge of NATO territory. "I don't see much protection. It's not good," says Krzysztof from Katowice, who has come to inspect the border himself. "We have to have some kind of scare tactic, something to show that we are trying to strengthen our army," says Grzegorz, who lives nearby. "At the same time I think I would not base the defence of our country solely on our army. I am convinced that Europe or America, if anything were to happen, will help us 100%." Poland is investing massively in its defence, with military spending set to hit 4.7% of GDP in 2025, more than any other NATO country. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said he will introduce voluntary military training for men of any age, and women too should they wish, so the army has a competent reserve force in the event of war. He is investing $2.5bn in stronger border fortifications between Russia and Belarus, a project called East Shield which will include anti-tank obstacles, bunkers and potentially minefields too. Along with its Baltic neighbours, Poland is withdrawing from the Ottawa convention against the use of land mines. It hasn't committed to using them, but it wants to have that option. We've been granted access to one of the cornerstones of Polish, and European defence, which is a couple of hours drive from the Vistula spit at the Redowicze military base. Aegis Ashore Poland, together with its sister site in Romania, are the land-based arms of NATO's missile defence shield over Europe, which is run by the US navy. They are symbols of the US commitment to NATO and to the protection of Europe. And despite changes at the top of the Pentagon it is "business as usual", says Captain Michael Dwan who oversees air and missile defence within the US Sixth Fleet. "Our mission to work with NATO forces has been unchanged. And so our commitment from the United States perspective and what capability we bring to ballistic missile defence and the defence of NATO is championed here in Poland." As far as Russia is concerned, NATO's two missile defence bases in Romania and Poland represent a NATO threat on their doorstep and are therefore a "priority target for potential neutralisation", per Russia's foreign ministry. NATO says the installations are purely defensive and their SM-3 interceptor missiles are not armed and are not intended to carry warheads. Russia counters they could easily be adapted to threaten Russia. Not the case, Captain Dwan says. "It's not a matter of moving offensive weapons here into the facility, the hardware and the infrastructure is simply not installed. "It would take months or years to change the mission of this site and a significant amount of money and capability and design." With so much marked "secret" on the site, it seems amazing to be granted the access. But for NATO, transparency is part of deterrence. They want potential adversaries to know how sophisticated their radar and interception systems are. They know that if they carried warheads on site, that would make them a target so they don't. Deterrence also depends on whether potential adversaries believe in the US's commitment to NATO and to Europe's defence. On an operational level, as far as the troops are concerned, that commitment may still be iron-clad. But as far as its commander-in-chief goes, there is still - as with so much around Donald Trump's presidency - a great deal of uncertainty. In the Oval Office on Wednesday afternoon President Trump suggested he might bundle a potential US troop drawdown in Europe together with the issue of EU trade and tariffs. "Nice to wrap it up in one package," he said, "it's nice and clean". Probably not the way Europe sees it, not with a resurgent Russia on their doorstep, economic tailwinds breeding animosity and the notion of Pax Americana crumbling at their feet.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lithuania considers planting anti-personnel mines on its borders with Russia and Belarus
Lithuania, following Poland's suit, is considering the possibility of planting anti-personnel mines on its borders with Russia and Belarus. Source: press service for Lithuania's Defence Ministry, citing Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė following 100 days of work, as reported by European Pravda Details: Šakalienė, along with her counterparts from Latvia, Estonia, Poland and Finland, discussed the unification of the East Shield and the Baltic Defence Line, as well as Finland's participation in the development of a unified plan to strengthen border protection by expanding the package of measures. During meetings with her counterparts, the Lithuanian defence minister discussed updating and expanding the concept of counter-mobility. "Following Poland's example, the border of the northeastern flank can be reinforced with several levels of fortifications, including, but not limited to, anti-personnel and anti-tank mines," the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence said in a statement. The partners intend to seek EU funding for these purposes. Background: On Tuesday 18 March, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland announced their intention to withdraw from the Ottawa Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna previously commented on the Baltic states' and Poland's intention to withdraw from the convention banning anti-personnel mines. He argued that it is wrong for them to "forbid ourselves from using weapons that Russia is willing to use against us". Meanwhile, Poland wants to plant anti-personnel mines on its borders with Russia and Belarus as part of the East Shield project. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Poland wants to plant landmines on its borders with Russia and Belarus
Poland plans to plant anti-personnel mines on its borders with Russia and Belarus as part of the East Shield project, Polish Deputy Defence Minister Paweł Bejda has said. Source: European Pravda, citing Polish news portal RMF24 Quote from Bejda: "We have no other choice. The situation on the border is serious. I'm talking about the Polish-Belarusian and Polish-Russian border... It will be one of the elements of the East Shield." Details: He added that Poland does not have anti-personnel mines but has "the capacity to produce them". "This [the production of landmines] will be carried out by the factories of the Polish Armed Group, but I don't want to go into details. We're talking about an order for several hundred thousand, we can talk about a million [units - ed.]," Bejda said. Bejda's remarks come as Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland announced their intention on 18 March to withdraw from the Ottawa Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention. Background: Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna previously commented on the Baltic states' and Poland's intention to withdraw from the convention banning anti-personnel mines. He argued that it is wrong for them to "forbid ourselves from using weapons that Russia is willing to use against us". Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
