Poland installs first elements of counter-drone system on border with Belarus
The first elements of a system designed to counter unmanned aerial vehicles have been installed along the Polish-Belarusian border, with the system set to become operational in January next year.
This was announced by Poland’s Minister of the Interior and Administration, Marcin Kierwiński, who, together with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, visited Polish border guards, soldiers, and police officers on duty along the border with Belarus in the village of Ozierany in the Podlaskie Voivodeship [northeastern Poland], an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
As Kierwiński noted, five large observation towers have been constructed along the border with Belarus over the past several months.
“This tower [in Ozierany] is special because it has been equipped with the first cluster of a counter-drone system that will protect Poland’s border. This cluster will be put into operation as early as January,” Kierwiński said.
He added that, overall, the Tusk government has allocated PLN 2 billion (over USD 500 million) over two years to strengthen protection of the border with Belarus.
According to him, next year, within the European SAFE programme, the Border Guard alone will receive nearly PLN 2.5 billion (approximately USD 700 million).
For his part, the Polish Prime Minister thanked the border guards, police officers, and soldiers—more than 6,000 of whom are currently guarding the Polish-Belarusian border.
As previously reported by Ukrinform, in 2022, Poland constructed a 5.5-meter-high barrier spanning 186 kilometers along its border with Belarus and installed a modern electronic monitoring system.
According to Poland’s Ministry of the Interior and Administration, through the creation of a barrier, a buffer zone, and the suspension of the right to apply for asylum at the border with Belarus, Warsaw has reduced illegal migration from the Belarusian direction by 98%.
Photo: x.com/MSWiA_GOV_PL