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Poland is Building a Concertina Wire Fence on the Border with Kaliningrad

Concertina wire around Kaliningrad

Polish soldiers on Wednesday began laying concertina wire along Poland's border with the Russian exclave in Kaliningrad after the government ordered a fence to be built to prevent what it fears could escalate into another migration crisis.

Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said the recent decision by Russian aviation to start flights from the Middle East and North Africa to Kaliningrad prompted him to strengthen Poland's 210-kilometer border with Kaliningrad. “In connection with the alarming information about the opening of flights from the Middle East and North Africa to Kaliningrad, I have decided to take measures that will increase security on the border of Poland with the Kaliningrad region by closing this border,” Blaszczak said.

Blaszczak said the barrier along the border would consist of three rows of Egoza razor wire 2.5 meters high and 3 meters wide and would be equipped with an electronic alarm system and surveillance cameras. The Polish side will also install a fence to keep animals away from Egoza barbed wire. So far, the sparsely populated border area has been patrolled but has no physical barrier.