Polish border officers have stopped hundreds of migrants from entering Poland at their frontier with Belarus using flash grenades, water cannon, and flash grenades. It is just the latest flare-up in tensions along the EU’s eastern front.
MailOnline has learned that Warsaw’s authorities ordered the dispersal of a group of people who, despite near freezing temperatures, were throwing rocks, smoke bombs, and metal fencing at soldiers.
A police officer sustained a skull fracture after being hit in his face.
Nearly 4,000 refugees from North Africa and the Middle East have arrived at the Polish frontier after they were transported to it by the forces of Alexander Lukasenko, a Belarusian dictator.
Video footage that emerged today showed the dictator’s men forcing migrants to cross the fence. Other footage also revealed that a Belarusian soldier had cut a hole through the wire.
A group of specially equipped water cannon vehicle has been deployed to Kuznica-Bruzgi border crossing, where thousands of migrants have gathered in hopes of getting into the EU.
Video footage has been released that shows Polish police shooting water cannons across border fencing at migrants near the Belarusian border.
MailOnline was informed by a spokesperson for the Polish Border Guard that migrants at the crossing at Bruzgi (on the Belarusian side) have been attacking Polish border services for approximately one house.
Polish police fire a water cannon at migrants camped at the Belarusian-Polish border at Bruzgi on Tuesday morning
Polish police use water to cool migrants who have hurled projectiles and stones at troops and officers along the line.
One migrant flees as Polish police force him to surrender during the confrontation at the border Tuesday morning
As the crisis of migrants continues, police use water to douse the migrants who are camped near the Polish border with Belarus.
Polish police are on the frontline as migrants throw rocks at the fence with their projectiles.
This morning, water cannons and tear gas were used to disperse the migrants on the frontier
Police police stand guard in heavy armour as a water cannon douses the migrants at the Kuznica – Bruzgi checkpoint
As migrants try to break the fence, smoke from tear gas grenades and police officers billows across the border
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko holds a meeting on the situation at the Belarusian-Polish border from the presidential palace in Minsk on Thursday
These foreigners were aggressively repelled by water cannons.
“The Polish Border Service was contacted by the migrants who were throwing rocks and other objects that could emit smoke.
“A bang could be heard, and an aggressive foreigner threw a log of timber through the barbedwire fence.
According to the spokesperson, “Immigrants camping at the border crossing at Bruzgi were behaving aggressively and throwing stones at the Polish Border Guard.
Water cannons were used in order to keep illegal border crossings from happening.
Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister, called use of water cannon and tear gas by Polish forces “absolutely unacceptable”.
He said that the Polish side’s behavior was unacceptable at a Moscow press conference. He cited ‘tear gas, a water cannon, and shots above the heads of migrants in the direction of Belarus’.
According to the Polish Red Cross, migrants have died from freezing in freezing temperatures at the border between Poland and Belarus.
It is likely to worsen the humanitarian situation by soaking them in water cannon.
However, charities are not allowed to offer any help
MailOnline was told by a spokesperson for the Polish Red Cross that refugees are dying in the forests.
“There are both children and pregnant women among them.
“We are able to provide all they require – hot meals, medical aid and warm clothing. But we were prevented from getting there.”
On Tuesday, migrants who have gathered at the border are treated with water as a helicopter flew overhead.
On Tuesday, hundreds of migrants, mostly from North Africa and the Middle East, gathered at the border.
As migrants throw objects at the troops, a police water cannon is fired over the border fence.
Today’s Polish Border Guard helicopter flew above the frontier
As the migrant crisis persists, police vans drive down the highway near the border.
Polish border guards have estimated that up to 4000 migrants live along the border between Poland, Belarus and are living in increasingly difficult conditions with freezing temperatures.
Western powers claim that Belarus orchestrated the crisis with Russia backing, possibly by drawing migrants across the border to cause division within the EU. But Minsk and Moscow strongly deny this accusation.
Since the summer’s influx began, at least eleven migrants died. On Monday, one of the victims, a 19 year-old Syrian living in Homs, was laid into repose.
Last week hundreds of migrants gathered at the Bruzgi Kuznica border crossing to the EU’s Eastern frontier, causing a standoff.
Lukashenko stated that Russia and Belarus had denied organizing the crisis.
According to Belta, he stated that ‘the main thing is to protect our country’ and “not to allow clashes,”
Lukashenko talked to Angela Merkel of Germany about the crisis on Monday. This was his first call with an international leader since last year’s suppression of mass protests.
As the EU border crisis enters its second week, water cannon is used to attack migrants.
On Tuesday, migrants fought with the police at Poland-Belarus’ border
On Tuesday morning, migrants shielded their faces from the tear gas in skirmishes near the border.
Water is sprayed over the barricades to migrants congregated under the Kuznica – Bruzgi checkpoint
Today, you can see two Polish soldiers sitting inside an army truck as they travel to the frontier.
According to the West, the Belarusian leader has been in power since 1994. He was accused of manipulating an election last year. Merkel said that he and Merkel had agreed on the need for the dispute to be resolved.
He stated, “We agreed that no one needs escalation, not the EU or Belarus.”
He said that he shared differing views with Merkel about how migrants arrived in Belarus. The West claimed Minsk brought them there to retaliate for the sanctions.
EU foreign ministers agreed to expand existing sanctions against Lukashenko’s government to cover individuals and companies that encourage border crossings.
Lukashenko stated that he was not seeking to gather all refugees around the globe and bring them to Belarus as Poland has told the EU. He also said that Minsk had already deported approximately 5,000 migrants.
USA has also pledged to increase its sanctions against Belarus.
Merkel’s office stated that the two discussed humanitarian assistance for migrants. Many of these children are young.
Today’s Migrants stand in the Belarus-Poland Border, wrapped up in blankets.
Troops make their way to front, as the migrant movement continues for another week
Polish officers use riot shields to defend themselves against migrants as they confront them at the border on Tuesday.
On Monday, the French President Emmanuel Macron and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed the crisis. Putin has urged that the EU speak to Minsk directly.
Clement Beaune, France’s Europe Minister, said that there are signs the crisis is de-escalating. However, he cautioned against overreacting.
France 2 broadcaster France 2 said that Europe was quick, strong, and united in its response to the crisis. It is doing the right things.
Although Iraq said that it would begin voluntary repatriations from Belarus of its citizens this week, many migrants – even those AFP spoke with – pledge not to return.
Turkish Airlines, a private Turkish carrier Cham Wings Airlines, has announced that it will stop flights to Minsk from Iraqis, Syrians, and Yemenis following EU pressure.