A young Polish border guard was killed by a makeshift spear hurled at him from the Belarusian side of the border, it has been revealed, in what is being characterised as the latest example of Vladimir Putin’s “hybrid war” on the West.
Sgt Mateusz Sitek, from the village of Nowy Lubiel died after several projectiles were hurled through a five-metre high steel fence, with several of his colleagues also injured.
A shocking clip circulating online shows another incident in which a similar spear flies through a fence, missing another border guard by inches.
Polish officials, who believe migrants are being sent to their border from its Russia-allied neighbour with the tacit encouragement of Vladimir Putin as a way of weaponising the situation.
Earlier this week, Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz warned: “There is a hybrid war ongoing on the Poland-Belarus border.”
Mr Sitek died on May 28 in an early-morning attack. Speaking at his funeral, attended by among others Poland’s President Andzrej Duda, one person told The Daily Telegraph the 21-year-old was “a very, very good boy”.
Another added: “You know, I can’t stop thinking, would all this have happened if two years ago these people hadn’t started all this hate campaign against our soldiers on the border?”
Colonel Katarzyna Zdanowicz, spokesman for the Border Patrol, said: “We took an oath to defend our country with the sacrifice of our lives.
“But no one expected it to be like this. After the death of this young soldier, we understood how realistic our oath was.”
Since April this year, 370 police officers have stopped at least 537 people trying to cross the border illegally, said Pawel Zabrocki, chief of police in the town of Hajnowka.
There are also concerns that mercenaries from the notorious private army the Wagner Group are among those slipping across the border.
Zbigniew Czerewko, 70, is a retired forestry worker, explained: “The local people are afraid.
“They are afraid because they do not know what to expect from those who come here.”
Meanwhile Chinese and Belarusian troops have begun joint military exercises on Monday close to the Belarusian city of Brest, three miles from the Polish border.
Posting on Telegram, Belarusian defence ministry said: “As part of the anti-terrorist exercises, the military personnel of both countries will work out the issues of night landing, overcoming water obstacles, and conducting operations in urban settings.”
It subsequently added: “The NATO grouping on the border with Belarus is growing rapidly, which leads to an increase in tension in the region”, warning of
A “harsh reaction” should anyone “cross Belarusian borders.”
Belarus and Russia have also practiced nuclear weapons deployment and have held a number of joint military drills.