**Belarus’ President Lukashenko Uses Migrant Crisis to Put Pressure on EU**
The situation is getting serious. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has once again used his country’s territory to send illegal migrants from Africa, the Middle East, and Afghanistan towards the European Union. According to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, this is not a new tactic, but rather a continuation of what was seen in 2021.
**Migrants Sent Towards Poland**
The intelligence service reports that Lukashenko is primarily using his country as a transit point for migrants heading towards Poland, one of the EU’s front-line states. Some migrants are even arriving directly from Libya or through Russia, which points to a coordinated effort between Minsk and Moscow.
**Similar Tactic Used in 2021**
This mirrors the tactics used by Belarus in 2021, when it orchestrated mass migrant crossings into EU states. Brussels condemned this as a form of hybrid warfare, with many seeing it as an attempt by Lukashenko’s regime to blackmail the bloc into easing sanctions.
**Blackmail Didn’t Work**
However, Ukraine’s intelligence service notes that instead of working, this blackmail effort only intensified Belarus’ diplomatic isolation. Lukashenko reportedly profits from the migrant flows, but has so far avoided full-scale escalation in order to preserve his few remaining ties in Europe.
**Hungary Maintains Dialogue with Minsk**
One EU state that has maintained dialogue with Belarus is Hungary, which has taken a hard line against illegal migration. Despite this, Lukashenko’s regime continues to use migrants as a bargaining chip, even if it’s just to exert political pressure on the West.
**Poland Reports Thousands of Illegal Crossings**
The situation on Poland’s border with Belarus is getting dire. Warsaw reports that they have stopped over 26,000 illegal crossing attempts in 2024 alone. Tragically, one soldier was killed and 63 others injured in related border clashes.
**Link to Russian Aggression**
Polish officials point out that many migrants are carrying Russian visas, linking the wave directly to the Kremlin’s broader confrontation with the West. Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994 and remains a key ally of the Kremlin.
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