FILE – Polish soldiers begin laying a razor wire barrier along Poland’s border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad in Wisztyniec, Wednesday Nov. 2, 2022. Poland’s interior minister says a state-of-the-art electronic barrier is being built on land border with Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave, which is also European Union frontier, to monitor and counteract any illegal activity. Minister Mariusz Kaminski said Tuesday, April 18, 2023 earthwork has begun for the barrier that will be equipped in 24-hour monitoring cameras and motion detectors. (AP Photo/Michal Kosc, File)

 

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland has begun building a state-of-the-art electronic barrier at its land border with Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave to monitor and counteract any illegal activity, the Polish interior minister said Tuesday.

The barrier, which will be equipped with 24-hour monitoring cameras and motion detectors, will run for 210 kilometers (130 miles) and is due to be completed in the fall.

“We will have full monitoring of the border with Russia,” Mariusz Kaminski told a news conference.

“I am sure that this will be the best secured EU border,” he said.

Last year, the war neighboring country, which is an EU member, built a wall on its border with Belarus, a Russian ally, to stop a massive illegal inflow of migrants. Warsaw said the crossings were organized by the Belarus and Russian authorities to destabilize Poland and the rest of the EU.

Poland’s eastern borders with Russia and Belarus, which are also EU external borders, will be “perfectly prepared for any type of illegal activities that are linked to crisis situations regarding our eastern neighbors,” Kaminski said.

In February, the country put up anti-tank barriers on roads leading to border crossings with Kaliningrad. Last year, it put up a razor-wire barrier there.

Poland feels threatened by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and is a strong supporter of Kyiv in the 14-month-old conflict.

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