Belarus shifts migrants to Russia ahead of elections
The migrants staying in Belarus near the Polish border have been transported towards Russia, reported Colonel Andrzej Stasiulewicz from the Border Guard. The officer suggested possible preparations by Alexander Lukashenko for the presidential elections.
"At some point, we observed that migrants are being moved toward Russia from the border zone. Lukashenko may be interested in maintaining peace in the country before the presidential elections," emphasized Stasiulewicz. However, he refrained from predicting what might happen to those who remain in the border zone.
According to Border Guard data, in the first two weeks of January this year, 86 attempted to cross the border, averaging six people per day. This is much fewer than last year, where over 80 crossing attempts were recorded daily. Border Guard statistics show that although the number of crossings significantly increased last year (from 25,701 in 2023 to 29,616), a reverse trend has been observed since the last week of September 2024.
What is Lukashenko planning?
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Maciej Duszczyk noted that the key influence on the decrease in crossing numbers is the weather. "However, we can suspect that as Lukashenko prepares for the presidential elections, he wants to establish order in the country," noted Duszczyk. The presidential elections in Belarus, in which Alexander Lukashenko will be the only candidate, will take place on January 26.
"Additionally, the presence of migrants raises concerns in the villages near the Polish-Belarusian border. This may discourage people from voting," he noted.
"I'm not in Lukashenko's head, but it can be suspected that the lower numbers might result from his attempt to maintain peace in the country," emphasized Duszczyk.
