British troops to aid Poland in strengthening border fence

Mariusz Błaszczak/Twitter

Poland's Defence Minister tweeted on Friday that British engineering troops have started a reconnaissance on establishing cooperation with Polish soldiers in strengthening the fence on the Polish-Belarusian border.

According to information obtained by PAP from the Ministry of Defence, the British, as part of the reconnaissance in Poland, are to determine the specific scope of activities that they will take to support Poles in the situation of the migrant crisis on the border with Belarus. The details of their reconnaissance - and therefore the scope of the support they will give Poland - are to be known next week.

Mariusz Blaszczak tweeted that "reconnaissance has begun before the support of British engineering troops will start. Our soldiers will establish cooperation in strengthening the fence on the Polish-Belarusian border.”

The Ministry of Defence told PAP that the intention of the British contingent's actions is to be "a manifestation of allied solidarity".

On Monday, a large group of migrants crossed the Belarusian side towards the border with Poland. The group gathered close to Kuznica, where many migrants have already set up camp. The Ministry of National Defence announced that the services of the Interior Ministry and soldiers managed to stop the first mass attempt to cross the border.

Over the following days, there were more attempts to cross the border by groups of migrants, all of them were thwarted by the Polish services.