London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Aug 24, 2025

Belarus migrant crisis: British army engineers to help at Polish border

Belarus migrant crisis: British army engineers to help at Polish border

About 150 British army Royal Engineers will be sent to help reinforce Poland's border with Belarus, the defence secretary has said.

The border is seen as an entry point to the EU, and there have been tensions in recent weeks with Belarus being accused of pushing migrants towards it.

Ben Wallace said a small reconnaissance team of engineers had already been to the area to assess the situation.

They would not be combat troops but "guys with diggers", he added.

Belarus's long-time authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, denies facilitating the arrival of migrants and sending them towards the border with Poland in revenge for EU sanctions imposed in June.

The crisis deepened on Tuesday when Polish forces used tear gas and water cannon to repel those trying to cross into the country.

Some attempted to breach a heavily fortified crossing and threw missiles at the Polish forces, leaving several with injuries.

Mr Wallace said the engineers would be dispatched "within days or weeks" but said he would first inform parliament about the planned deployment.

Speaking to the BBC during a visit to Poland Mr Wallace said: "What we will do is send some Royal Engineers - that is part of the Army designed for building or making fences or roads or putting in infrastructure.

"We are going to be using that part of our forces to help the Poles and potentially other Baltic states to secure their border."

He stressed the soldiers would not be combat troops but people with "the ability to build roads and checkpoints and observation posts", adding: "This is not combat this is support to the Poles."

On the humanitarian situation, the defence secretary said: "I'm particularly worried for the women and children and the vulnerable people who are being trafficked by the Belarusians into this game they seem to be playing.

"It's a horrendous thing to do to force migrants to be a tool in a game to try to detribalise their neighbours."

During his visit Mr Wallace visited British troops already stationed in Poland as part of Nato's Enhanced Forward Presence. He also signed an agreement in principle to sell Poland air defence missiles.

Migrants have been living in camps in freezing conditions and with little food or water just inside Belarus, stranded between Polish guards on one side and Belarusian guards on the other.

On Wednesday, after more than a week of stalemate, Belarus said it had provided temporary shelter for about 1,000 people.

Poland, with EU backing, is determined not to let the migrants into the bloc and has warned that the situation may go on for months.

It has also been accused of pushing people back across the border into Belarus, contrary to international rules of asylum.

The European Commission has accused Belarus of promising easy entry to the EU.

But Belarus has said it is trying to repatriate stranded migrants along the border, but that many have refused to return to their home countries.


Watch the BBC's Steve Rosenberg at the scene of the chaos as water cannon and tear gas is used


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
Finnish MP Dies by Suicide in Parliament Building
Outrage in the Tennis World After Jannik Sinner’s Withdrawal Storm
William and Kate Are Moving House – and the New Neighbors Were Evicted
Class Action Lawsuit Against Volkswagen: Steering Wheel Switches Cause Accidents
×