Poland to start beefing up northeastern defences by year-end, minister says

Poland will start building the first elements of enhanced defense lines on its borders with Russia and Belarus by the end of 2024, Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk said, Report informs via Reuters.

Spurred by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Warsaw laid out plans in May to spend 10 billion zlotys ($2.6 billion) to beef up its northern and eastern borders with fortifications, surveillance, reconnaissance and anti-drone systems by the end of 2028 to deter adversaries or help repel a potential attack.

"In the next three weeks, we will be able to carry out the first tests of the East Shield elements on Polish military training grounds, and this year we will start building the first elements ... on the northern and eastern borders," Cezary Tomczyk told a press conference.

He said the project would be developed in cooperation with Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as well as with British and American forces.