Shield East State Border Security Plan: Assumptions, Construction, Consequences

Abstract

The security environment in Central and Eastern Europe, especially the situation at the external border of the European Union and NATO, has become seriously complicated. Russia’s imperial policy, the migration crisis on the Belarusian-Lithuanian-Polish border, hybrid activities (disinformation, cyberattacks, widespread diversion, deep infiltration of political and economic circles, etc.) and the war in Ukraine prove that neighbouring countries, i.e., Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland, should definitely strive to strengthen their security, especially their state borders.

Poland’s response to these threats is the National Deterrence and Defence Programme – Shield East, planned for 2024–2028. It involves the construction of a comprehensive defence system on Poland’s eastern and northern borders. It is defensive in nature, with the aim of deterring potential aggressors. It involves the use of traditional and advanced technologies to create a multi-layered and effective defence barrier.