A Polish soldier has died following a knife attack at the border with Belarus, according to an announcement from Poland’s military on Thursday.
The soldier was reportedly stabbed in the chest by an illegal immigrant who breached a fence designed to reduce illegal border crossings. The Polish Foreign Ministry summoned the Belarusian charge de’affaires, demanding that the country hand over the assailant, who has yet to be identified, according to DW.
"A young soldier, Mateusz, gave his life defending the border of the Republic of Poland," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in a post translated to English. “The motherland and his compatriots will never forget about this sacrifice. I extend words of deepest sympathy to his family."
Following the incident, the Polish government announced plans to spend the equivalent of $2.5 billion to strengthen its eastern border. This includes reintroducing a 200-meter buffer zone. In 2022, Poland constructed a 5.5-meter fence equipped with an electronic surveillance system. Despite these measures, over 17,000 attempted crossings have occurred since the beginning of 2024.
Poland, along with the European Union, has claimed that Russia and Belarus are facilitating illegal migrant crossings in an effort to destabilize Europe. The country has continued to face pressure from thousands of immigrants from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Polish officials have also reported that roughly 90% of migrants at the border have Russian visas.
"It is the Russian state... that is behind the organization of the recruitment, transport and attempts to smuggle thousands of people into Europe," Tusk initially said after the stabbing.
