Poland denounces the simultaneous arrival of hundreds of migrants at its border from Belarus, Monday, November 8, in a context already tense for several weeks. These people are heading for the Kuznica border crossing and “a group has already tried to cross the border”Polish government spokesman Piotr Müller told reporters. According to him, this an operation is organized “by persons linked to Belarusian special services”.
>> On the borders of Europe, migrants trapped in a “hybrid war” between Belarus and Poland
Since the morning, dozens of videos have been posted on social media showing groups of hundreds of people, with warm clothes and backpacks, walking along a road. According to a geolocation made by AFP, one of the videos was taken near buildings in Bruzgi, Belarus, 1.2 kilometers from the border with Poland. A video released by the Polish Defense Ministry reports hundreds of migrants gathered along the border near the Bruzgi-Kuznica border post.
Grupa migrantów znajduje się obecnie w okolicach Kuźnicy pic.twitter.com/w5VxXp9QqQ
– Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej (@MON_GOV_PL) November 8, 2021
Another video released by the Interior Ministry shows part of the border fence installed by Poland destroyed, with hundreds of migrants on one side and soldiers, Polish border guards and police on the other. riot gear. Belarusian border guards confirmed in a statement that“at the moment a large group of refugees with personal belongings are moving along the highway towards the border with poland”.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday called on member states to approve new sanctions against Belarusian authorities. “The instrumentalization of migrants for political purposes is unacceptable”, she denounced. In addition to an extension of sanctions against Minsk, she says the EU “will examine how to sanction airlines from third countries” who transport migrants to Belarus.
The EU accuses Alexander Lukashenko of orchestrating a wave of migrants and refugees, mainly from the Middle East, in retaliation for sanctions imposed by Brussels following a brutal crackdown by his regime against the opposition. Several migrants told franceinfo at the end of October how they had obtained a tourist visa to go to Belarus. Once at the border, Belarusian forces prevented them from reversing.
For its part, the United States has called “disturbing” the images and information emanating from the border between Belarus and Poland this weekend. “The United States strongly condemns the political exploitation and manipulation of vulnerable people by the regime of (Alexander) Lukashenko”, said a spokesperson for US diplomacy.