Tunnel found under Poland–Belarus border « Euro Weekly News

Polish border guards have discovered a hidden tunnel running beneath the Poland–Belarus border, marking the second such find this year.

Authorities believe the underground passage was likely part of an organised effort to bypass the reinforced border fence separating the two countries.

Second illegal tunnel uncovered in 2025

Poland’s Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński confirmed the discovery on Friday, October 18, in a post shared on X, praising the country’s advanced electronic surveillance systems for detecting the tunnel before it could be used.

“Officers from the Podlaskie Border Guard division have found a tunnel beneath the barrier on the Polish–Belarusian border,” Kierwiński wrote. “It began and ended around 20 metres from the Belarusian side. Thanks to the new electronic systems, the border is now effectively protected.”

The tunnel was located in the Podlachie region, near the same area where a similar structure was unearthed earlier this year in the Narewka border zone.

According to officials, the discovery was made possible by thermal cameras, motion sensors and underground scanners installed over the summer as part of a broader border security modernisation project.

Thousands of illegal crossings this year alone

The latest find comes amid a surge in attempted illegal crossings from Belarus into Poland. Border authorities reported over 60 attempts in just one day last week, bringing the total number of incidents since January to more than 26,700.

Poland has been on high alert since 2021, when a major migration and humanitarian crisis erupted along the eastern frontier of the European Union. Warsaw and its Western allies accuse Belarus of orchestrating the influx of migrants from the Middle East and Africa, transporting them to the EU border in what they describe as a form of “hybrid warfare” aimed at destabilising the region.

The Polish government has since invested heavily in strengthening its defences, including barbed-wire barriers, motion detectors, and surveillance drones. The recently discovered tunnels, however, show that those seeking to cross are becoming more creative — and desperate.

Human rights debate reignited

While Polish officials celebrated the success of their detection systems, human rights organisations have renewed criticism of the government’s handling of the situation.

Activists argue that the so-called “pushback” tactics, where migrants are sent back to Belarus without the chance to apply for asylum, violate international law. Poland, however, maintains that it is defending both its sovereignty and the EU’s external border.

The Ministry of the Interior insists that the new monitoring systems – including ground sensors and thermal imaging – are designed not just for security, but also to prevent dangerous crossings and potential tragedies in the harsh forested border zone.

As winter approaches, conditions along the Poland–Belarus frontier are expected to worsen, raising fears of more attempts, more tunnels, and more human suffering on one of Europe’s most heavily guarded borders.

Stay tuned with Euro Weekly News for more news from Poland