Wojtek Jargiło/PAP

An electronic fence on Poland’s border with Ukraine is now 181 kilometres long after a new 54-kilometre section became operational on Friday, a spokesman for the Polish Border Guard has said.

In 2021, Poland experienced heightened migratory pressure on its border with Belarus with thousands of migrants trying to get into the country. Warsaw blamed the crisis on the Belarusian government, saying it was flying in Middle Eastern and African migrants on the false promise of easy access to the EU.

As a result of the crisis, Poland erected a fence along its border with Belarus and later decided to upgrade it with electronic surveillance equipment, including CCTV cameras and night vision.

“We now have nearly 181 kilometres of the electronic barrier in total, 10 stretches,” Anna Michalska said on Friday. “Only one 25 kilometre-long stretch remains to be completed.”

The electronic barrier will cost Polish taxpayers PLN 343 million (EUR 71.8 million) and the whole investment is valued at PLN 1.6 billion (EUR 335 million).