Poland building wall along border with Russia’s Kaliningrad

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s defense minister said Wednesday that he has ordered the construction of a temporary barrier along the border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

The move comes as Warsaw suspects that Russia plans to facilitate illegal border crossings by Asian and African migrants.

Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said the border needs to be secured in order for Poland to feel secure. He said he had authorized the construction of a temporary barrier along the 210-kilometer (130-mile) border. The work will begin on Wednesday.

Poland’s border with Belarus became the site of a major migration crisis last year, with large numbers of people crossing illegally. Poland erected a steel wall on the border with Belarus that was completed in June.

Polish and other EU leaders accused the Belarusian government — which is allied with Russian President Vladimir Putin — of masterminding the migration in order to create chaos and division within the European Union.

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