The moment Belarusian soldiers fired shots at a group of terrified migrants near the Polish border. Hours later, desperate refugees tried to breach barbed wire fences to get into the EU.
Polish guards have captured footage of citizens, women, and children, standing along the border fence between Belarus and Poland. Then, the sounds of soldiers firing their rifles and cocking their guns are heard.
Two more soldiers are seen hitting and kicking the migrants amid the screams of the migrants. One drops to one knee before he raises his gun and fires at them. An unidentified Polish soldier can be heard calling his friend from the squad: “Come, let’s move!”
Poland has released footage of the shooting to refute claims made by Belarus that the shots were fired from Polish soldiers. Minsk is trying to discredit rivals in Warsaw, part of an ‘hybrid assault’ against the EU which uses migrants as a weapon.
There are currently thousands of homeless people camping along the Polish frontier. According to EU, they were lured by the EU to Belarus with false promises to Europe and marched up to the border where they were forced to illegally cross.
Poland claimed that more than 250 attempted to cross the border between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Many others made it. Around 50 were found and arrested near the town of Białowieża early today, with more being sought.
Polish border guards caught the moment Belarusian soldiers at the border opened fire near to a group terrified migrants. They then pointed and kicked their guns at them.
Many thousands of migrants have been camping along the Polish border. The EU claims that they’re being forced by Lukashenko’s regime to cross illegally as part of an ‘hybrid assault’.
Poland claims it is obligated as an EU member to defend the bloc’s borders from attacks by Belarus using migrants as weapons (photo: Polish border guards).
It wasn’t a peaceful night. In fact, many attempted to break the Polish border were made, said Mariusz Blaszczak (Polish Defence Minister).
RMF, a Polish radio station private, reported that around 200 people tried to cross the border Tuesday afternoon and another group of 60 tried it after midnight.
Blaszczak stated that all people who attempted to cross the border were held and that 15,000 Polish soldiers had been added to the existing 12,000.
Three EU diplomats said to Reuters late Tuesday night that more sanctions were being considered against Belarus due to the escalating crises. They would target around 30 people and entities, including the Belarusian foreign Minister.
Heiko Maas (Germany’s acting Foreign Minister) said that Wednesday’s images of the Belarusian border were horrendous.
“Mr. Lukashenko…unscrupulously exploits those seeking refuge to his cynical power game… The European Union can’t be blackmailed. He said.
Maas claimed that no one in crisis would be left alone by the EU.
Belarus has been placed under EU sanctions since Lukashenko took control of a Ryanair plane over EU airspace in order to detain a journalist critical of his regime.
The EU has also provided sanctuary to Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the exiled Belarusian opposition leader who is widely thought to have beaten Lukashenko in a 2020 ballot that analysts believe was rigged, and voiced support for pro-democracy protesters.
Polish soldiers guard the border of Poland and Belarus. Warsaw stated that 15,000 troops are currently stationed at this location.
In this photograph taken on the Polish side, you can see migrants camping as Belarusian troops pass.
Poland reported that over 250 individuals attempted to enter the country from Tuesday night through Wednesday morning. There were also 50 arrests on the Polish side.
Belarus was accused of misleading vulnerable migrants by promising them passage to Europe. After they were led to the border, the EU forced them to cross.
Lukashenko, according to the bloc is trying to take revenge and create a migrant crisis along its eastern border in order try to “destabilise” the alliance.
European leaders claim that migrants from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia are being flown into Belarus to attempt to cross the border.
Since spring when one of Europe’s most peaceful migrant routes suddenly became busy, the crisis has simmered. However, this week has seen an increase in the number of people crossing the border.
It is estimated that around 2,000 people are currently camped at the border. These individuals cannot cross into Poland or are prevented from crossing into Belarus.
The homeless are often without food and water, living in cramped tents under freezing temperatures.
Moscow has backed Lukashenko who denied orchestrating the migration crossings, claiming that they are legitimate asylum-seekers and should have access.
He described the EU as ‘b*****ds’ on Tuesday, while accusing Poland of ‘conducting a war’ by moving troops close to the border which he warned could lead to conflict.
He said that it was either training exercises or blackmail. Before vowing, ‘We will calmly resist this.
There are currently thousands of migrants stranded at the Polish border. Many have started to light fires in order to alert others about dangerous conditions.
The Polish side is lit up by bright lights as the migrants who have crossed the border to escape persecution camp at the Belarusian end of the border, lighting fires and keeping warm.
Mateusz Morawiecki, Polish Prime Minister (center right), has pledged to block migrants’ entry and said that Poland is obligated as an EU member to protect the border.
Following a call between Putin and Lukashenko, the two discussed the crisis.
Belta, a Belarusian news agency state-owned by Belarusian media reported the telephone call. It stated that two leaders discussed Polish troop movements across the border and they were worried.
Belta stated that the Belarusian-Polish border situation, along with the harsh actions taken by Poland in relation to civilians, occupied a special spot in the conversation.
It was also stressed that the presence of Polish soldiers on the border is a concern. The leaders of the states discussed the troubling trends and facts that were taking place at the border between Poland-Belarus.
The call was ended by Mr Putin calling a Russian security council meeting to discuss the Kremlin’s’state borders policy’.
Belta stated that Belarus’s Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei was traveling to Moscow in order to meet with Sergei Lavrov, his Russian counterpart.
Since Mr Lavrov previously supported Belarus in this issue, he has said that the EU should pay Lukashenko for the return of the migrants.
Vladimir Putin, a close ally of Lukashenko (right), has supported him and denied that he’s engaged in ‘hybrid war’. The two leaders spoke on Tuesday about the crisis via phone call.
Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland, all EU member countries bordering Belarus, have complained about migrants being forced into their borders over the past months. However, the highest numbers of migrants have reached Poland near Kuznica (above).
In anticipation of the arrival of migrants from Belarus, Lithuania has increased its border defenses.
Lithuanian troops are pictured at the border guard headquarters in Kapciamiestis, near the border with Belarus, in anticipation of more migrant crossings
Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonite (right) speaks with Commander of Lithuanian state border guard service Rustamas Liubajevas (left), at border guard headquarters