By the end of 2024, Poland will begin strengthening its defense efforts by building fortification lines along its borders with Russia and Belarus.
Polish Deputy Minister of Defense Cezary Tomczyk said that “in the next three weeks, we will be able to carry out the first tests of the East Shield elements on Polish military training grounds,” Reuters reported.
This initiative, part of the National Defense and Deterrence Plan “East Shield,” aims to strengthen Poland’s northern and eastern borders by 2028.
Amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Warsaw aims to protect its frontiers with defense lines, surveillance, reconnaissance, and anti-drone systems.
Poland’s strategic location is particularly challenging as it shares borders with Russia, Ukraine, and Russian-backed Belarus.
The country has been coordinating with the Baltic states to request funds and military supplies from NATO and the EU to counter potential Russian threats.
The estimated cost of Polish border fortification is approximately 10 billion Polish zlotys ($2.6 billion), supported by a loan from the European Investment Bank.
Warsaw’s defense spending is set to increase to 4.7 percent of GDP in 2025.
By December, the country is set to receive the first of 32 US-manufactured F-35As Lightning II fighter jets for its air force, part of a $4.6 billion deal signed in 2020.