The first section of the system of engineering barriers and fortifications of the so-called “Eastern Shield” was completed ahead of schedule in Poland.

The press service of the Polish Ministry of National Defence reported on this.

The 2.3 km long section is equipped at strategic border crossings, which are not named.

Construction of the Eastern Shield on the borders with the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus started in October 2024.

“Construction of the Eastern Shield has begun! The first works are on the border with Russia,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk commented at the time.

The Eastern Shield project was presented in May 2024. At the time, Donald Tusk said that the government would invest PLN 10 billion ($2.55 billion) in its creation.

The construction of the network of fortifications, barriers, and obstacles is scheduled to be completed in 2028.

In early October 2024, public demonstrations of the elements of barriers and fortifications to be used in the implementation of the Eastern Shield were held at the Ożysz military training ground.

This event was commented on by reserve captain Maksymilian Dura, Defence24.pl expert, whose article “Eastern Shield demonstration: what was missing?” was also published on Militarnyi.

The main thesis is that the project does not correspond to the threats that are already present on the modern battlefield, such as in Ukraine.

In particular, the role of drones is completely ignored, both by the attacking and defending sides. And these are not only kamikaze drones, but also scouts and bombers. In addition, the author had questions about the actions of existing mechanized units and infantry, as well as the tactics of using engineering vehicles.

Also, since the construction is extended in time and it is not clear how long such barriers will be able to stand without being used, the author suggests leaving the demonstration area at the training ground for further analysis.