War and rumors of war are impacting military postures across Eastern Europe, with NATO member Poland announcing its latest strengthening on Monday, announcing plans to beef up counter-drone surveillance and ground forces amid continuing Russian threats.
The effort comes after Finland, Norway and the Baltic states drew up similar proposals to deter Moscow from aggressing.
AP Reports The plans also include a system of fortifications and barriers along Poland’s roughly 430-mile eastern border with Russia and Russia’s ally Belarus.
Poland’s government says it helps defend neighboring Ukraine against Russian aggression but has become a target of hostile activity by Russia and Belarus.
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The Associated Press reported that the attacks included cyber attacks, attempted arson and the illegal pushing of migrants across the border, and authorities said they were aimed at destabilizing the European Union, of which Poland is a member.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government plans a wide range of security measures, including in cyberspace, and plans to invest more than $2.5 billion in strengthening surveillance, deterrence and defence along the eastern border, with the system, called Shield East, due for completion in 2028.
Officials said work has already begun.
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Meanwhile, the Baltic states on Sunday announced plans to build a “drone wall” along their border with Russia, along with Norway, Finland and Poland, Newsweek magazine reported. Reports.
Estonia’s Interior Minister Lauri Länemets said the technology could both detect and defeat drones, adding that the country planned to set up barriers along its entire eastern border and around major cities.
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“As we are seeing on the Ukrainian front, there is a constant technological race between adversaries to find new ways to use drones in warfare. The same is true for the various drones available to people. Being just a little bit ahead of the enemy can lead to great success, but this success is measured in days, because countermeasures to each countermeasure are discovered with incredible speed, and the cycle continues,” said Reinemets.
“There is no question whether this is necessary, since even the smallest drones have already proven their worth as reconnaissance and offensive weapons,” he added.
The announcement came days after Russia announced plans to change maritime boundaries in the Baltic Sea, to which Lithuania’s foreign minister responded last week as a “clear escalation” that must be met with an “appropriately decisive response.”
