Poland’s Border Closure with Belarus — Shooting Itself in the Foot?

On the night of September 12, border crossings "Terespol - Brest" for cars and buses, "Kukuryki - Kozlovichi" for freight trucks, and three railway crossings — "Kuznitsa Belostotskaya - Grodno," "Semyanovka - Svisloch," and "Terespol - Brest" — ceased operations.

If the closure persists, some transportation operators might reroute freight through alternative corridors, which would primarily harm Polish carriers. So, is this a foot gun for Poland? Or a direct hit to the head?

On September 11, huge queues formed; people waited for three to four days. The situation was disheartening. Beyond politics, for many individuals, the border closure is not just a loss of income or canceled vacations — for some, it’s a matter of life and death. For example, a family from Warsaw managed to cross the border, meaning an operation in Belarus will proceed.

Poland fully closed its border on September 9, allegedly in response to the planned Russian-Belarusian exercises "Zapad 2025." The key word here is "planned." The dates were known in advance, yet Poland waited. The exercises are not happening at the borders; Belarus, prudently, relocated all maneuvers inland. 13,000 troops participate, while Poland, with 40,000 soldiers, directs its forces toward Belarus.

Alexander Shpakovsky, member of the Belarusian House of Representatives:

"Belarus invited Poland to observe the exercises. Nevertheless, Poland refused to observe or respond constructively — instead, they began sending spies and intelligence agents onto our territory, reacting nervously to their detention. Initially, they demanded all Polish citizens in Belarus leave within 24 hours. Later, they claimed Polish citizens were targets of Belarusian special services."

On September 10, amidst the hysteria, drones entered the picture. Prime Minister Donald Tusk claimed two dozen UAVs violated Polish airspace, immediately accusing Russia without proof. Macron and Germany’s defense minister echoed his statements. Later, it was revealed that the drones carried no weapons; they could easily have been assembled from Ukrainian debris.

Nikolai Michevich, head of the Belarusian Studies Center at the Institute of Europe RAS:

"In essence, all modern Polish policy — and the broader Polish strategy of the last three or four centuries — aims to sell itself as a barrier to the 'uncivilized' East. The barrier has shifted, but its core remains the same — it’s still a barrier."

The Russian Defense Ministry clarified that drones with a 700 km range would not reach Polish territory.

Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the "Sahra Wagenknecht — Common Sense and Justice" party:

"I always ask myself: who benefits? Russia cannot be interested in NATO being drawn into this war. Zelensky has a clear interest. He has repeatedly expressed a desire for NATO to get involved in the conflict."

Ignoring Polish hysteria, Belarus’s Defense Ministry issued a statement early September 10, detailing the events of the previous night. Belarus warned Poland and Lithuania about the "lost" drones, some of which were intercepted.

Pavel Muraveiko, Chief of the Belarusian General Staff and Deputy Defense Minister:

"Through channels of cooperation, from 23:00 on September 9 to 04:00 on September 10, our forces exchanged information with Polish and Lithuanian counterparts about the airspace situation, alerting them to approaching unidentified aerial vehicles. This allowed Poland to respond promptly by deploying its patrol forces."

In neighborly fashion, Belarus took a measured approach. Later, Polish military confirmed the data exchange regarding the drones.

Marcin Jakubczyk, Polish parliament member:

"Did Belarus warn us about the drones? Yes. Did Ukraine? Mr. Donald Tusk, please stop spreading disinformation."

The drone incident became the formal pretext for NATO’s September 12 announcement of a large-scale military operation near Belarus and Russia — "Eastern Sentinel." Troops from Denmark, France, Germany, the Czech Republic, and the UK, including air units and air defense forces, are involved. Coincidentally, on the same day Poland sealed its border with Belarus, it was moving military equipment freely.

Vasily Nebenzya, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN:

"For a comprehensive and objective investigation, the Russian Defense Ministry has expressed readiness for professional dialogue and consultations with Poland’s Defense Ministry. We call on our Polish colleagues to take advantage of this offer instead of engaging in megaphone diplomacy."

Poland refused to engage in talks with Russia.

Poland has fully closed off from Belarus. Most troubling is the railway "curtain." The routes "Kuznitsa Belostotskaya - Bruzgi," "Semyanovka - Svisloch," and "Terespol - Brest" are crucial freight corridors from China and the CIS countries into Poland and further into the EU. Now, these routes are effectively blocked.

On September 15, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Poland, with meetings scheduled with the Deputy Prime Minister and colleagues. The blockade of Chinese goods will likely be a key issue.

Artem Tozik, Belarus’s envoy to the UN:

"All border crossings with Poland ceased operation on the night of September 12. Isn’t this situation a real threat to regional stability? Poland’s decision to close the border with Belarus is an unjustified, anti-people step — harming ordinary citizens of both Belarus and Poland."

On the night of September 11-12, queues stretched beyond Belarusians; many hoped the "curtain" wouldn’t be drawn. By midnight Warsaw time, border guards stopped allowing crossings within about 30 minutes. These closures are not motivated by security concerns but by attempts at economic gain.

Tomasz Schmidt, Polish dissident and former judge:

"How are the 'Zapad' exercises connected to the border closures and railway shutdowns? Are military transportations needed? It’s unclear. What was the point? I’m just surprised — does Polish society really buy into Tusk’s nonsense? What else could they say? Perhaps admit that they closed borders to get more EU funds for military equipment? If they said that openly, elections in Poland would turn immediately."

The "Brest" crossing remains operational and Polish border guards are on duty. They’ve stated they are ready to let people and vehicles through as soon as the situation allows. Currently, the flow depends on Poland. Meanwhile, Lithuania and Latvia are preparing for possible rerouting.