link to page 1 
November 29, 2021
Migrant Crisis on the Belarus-Poland Border
Since May 2021, Belarusian authorities have been accused
Poland border of approximately 2,000 asylum seekers,
of facilitating migration flows—mainly from Iraq but also
migrants, and refugees, including women and children,
from Syria, Afghanistan, and other countries in the Middle
many of whom had been stranded for weeks. Makeshift
East and Africa—to Belarus and on to Belarus’s borders
camps on the Belarusian side near the border crossing point
with neighboring European Union (EU) member states
did not have adequate shelter, food, water, or medical care.
Lithuania and Poland (and, to a lesser extent, Latvia). See
At least 10 people reportedly died from exposure.
Figure 1.
Figure 1. Belarus-EU Border
From August 2021, the Belarus-Poland border has served as
the focal point for people seeking to reach the EU via
Belarus. Media reports have cited both individuals who
attempted the journey and European officials as stating that
Belarusian state-run agencies encouraged and organized
travel. They also reported that Belarusian security forces
escorted people to the border, prevented them from leaving,
and facilitated destruction of border fencing. The crisis
heightened in mid-November 2021 but then diminished, at
least for the present. Several thousand migrants or asylum
seekers remain in Belarus, and many reportedly continue to
seek to cross the border.
The crisis that Belarus’s purported actions provoked has
raised U.S. and international concerns about the use of
migrants or refugees for political ends. The developments
relate to several issues of interest to Congress, including
Belarusian authorities’ human rights abuses and violations
of international law, the use of so-called hybrid operations
against U.S. allies in Europe, Russia’s role in such
operations, Russia’s deepening military presence in and
Source: Map created by CRS.
around Belarus and Ukraine, and humanitarian and legal
On November 16, some groups in the camps reportedly
concerns about the treatment of migrants and refugees.
threw stones and other projectiles and sought to breach the
border. Polish forces used water cannons and tear gas to
Belarus: A Hybrid Attack?
disperse the crowd. German Chancellor Angela Merkel
Since 2020, the EU and the United States have imposed
spoke with Lukashenko by telephone the next day (their
sanctions on Belarus in response to a crackdown on a mass
second call that week). Subsequently, Belarusian authorities
protest movement in the wake of a fraudulent presidential
cleared the border area and provided migrants with shelter
election. They also have imposed sanctions in response to
and relief items. The government of Iraq, which ceased air
Belarus’s forced diversion of an international flight in May
travel to Belarus in August 2021, arranged a return flight
2021 to detain a Belarusian dissident living abroad.
for more than 400 migrants; other countries’ airlines
imposed new restrictions on flights to Belarus.
In response to Western pressure, Belarus’s leader
Alexander Lukashenko suggested in May 2021 that Belarus
Some observers attribute Belarusian authorities’ newfound
would no longer stop “migrants and drugs” from entering
willingness to shelter and facilitate the return of migrants to
the EU. At the end of June 2021, Lukashenko announced
their home countries to Lukashenko’s desire for official
the suspension of a Belarus-EU readmission agreement,
engagement with European leaders. Lukashenko may
which required Belarus to accept the return of migrants who
perceive, rightly or wrongly, that such engagement bolsters
had transited Belarus to the EU. In August, Lukashenko
perceptions of his authority and legitimacy, after months of
said the EU had “put us in such conditions that we have to
domestic challenges and international isolation.
react. And we are reacting ... in the best way we can.”
The timing of Belarus’s about face—hours after
On November 12, 2021, after having been granted access
international media broadcast images of Polish forces
by Belarusian authorities, the U.N. High Commissioner for
responding to migrants with riot gear—suggests another
Refugees (UNHCR) and International Organization for
potential aim of Belarus’s actions: to generate scenes of
Migration (IOM) reported the presence along the Belarus-
chaos and violence that Belarusian (and Russian)
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Migrant Crisis on the Belarus-Poland Border
authorities could manipulate for purposes of anti-Polish and
Red Cross, have provided some emergency assistance to
anti-EU propaganda.
migrants and refugees in the form of food, water, blankets,
and clothing. Other Red Cross chapters and humanitarian
Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and the EU
organizations also have provided support. UNHCR and
Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia reacted to the crisis by
IOM reportedly pressed Belarusian and Polish authorities
declaring states of emergency, erecting razor wire fences,
for an urgent resolution to the situation and offered to help
and reinforcing their border guards to prevent migrants and
assess the individual situations and needs of asylum
asylum seekers from entering their territory. As the crisis
seekers, migrants, and refugees while stressing the need to
shifted to the Belarus-Poland border, the Polish government
protect their human rights and safety. Humanitarian
deployed 10,000 soldiers to assist border guards in
organizations had been advocating for unhindered access to
patrolling Poland’s 260-mile border with Belarus. Poland,
this population, emphasizing that until the circumstances of
Lithuania, and Latvia also began the process of building
an individual case are known, it is not clear what status and
permanent walls along their borders with Belarus. Polish
protection that person might be afforded. Potential options
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki declared that Poland
available for this population include (1) application for
was “under attack” by Belarus and called on NATO to take
asylum in Belarus for those in need of international
“concrete steps” to resolve the situation.
protection; (2) assessment of some asylum seekers and
refugees, including family reunification in the EU; and (3)
Despite ongoing tensions between Poland and the EU over
assisted voluntary, safe, and legal return home.
issues related to Poland’s domestic governance, EU leaders
generally have supported Poland’s view of the migrant
UNHCR, IOM, and others have stressed the international
crisis, expressed solidarity with Poland and the other
legal obligations and commitments of Belarus and Poland.
affected states, and focused blame on Belarus. The crisis
While states have the right to manage border security and
takes place at a time when many in Europe have expressed
policies, they are obligated to abide by international law,
anxiety that the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan could
including respect for human rights and the right to seek
trigger another wave of migrants seeking to enter the EU.
asylum. Poland and Belarus are both States Parties to the
During a 2015-2016 migration crisis, more than one million
1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its
asylum seekers entered EU territory.
1967 Protocol. UNHCR and IOM have jointly asserted that
“both sides must uphold their obligations under
Advocacy groups have criticized steps by Poland and
international law and guarantee the safety, dignity, and
Lithuania that essentially legalize the “pushback” of
protection of the rights of people stranded at the border.”
migrants at the border. Human rights groups also have
UNHCR and IOM emphasized that asylum seekers,
criticized Poland for preventing journalists and aid workers
migrants, and refugees “should never be used by states to
from going to the border. Poland rejected an offer of
achieve political ends” or as leverage in negotiations.
assistance from Frontex, the EU’s border agency. Critics
noted that accepting assistance from Frontex would have
EU and US Response
entailed greater oversight of Polish authorities’ actions and
Many observers contend that Belarus’s actions are in
procedures at the border. In recent years, Poland has pushed
response to Western sanctions and diplomatic pressure on
back against attempts to expand the EU’s role in migration
Belarus for its prior human rights abuses and violations of
policy, maintaining that migration policy should remain the
international law. EU leaders have called the crisis a
competence of national governments.
“hybrid attack” on the EU, with High Representative Josep
Borrell describing Belarus’s actions as “illegal and
Role of Russia?
inhuman.” The U.S. Department of State has “strongly
Since 2020, Russian authorities have provided diplomatic
condemned” Belarus’s “callous and inhumane facilitation
and financial support to Belarus, a close ally and economic
of irregular migration flows across its borders.” The United
partner. No evidence of a direct Russian role in organizing
States, the United Kingdom, and other European members
the migrant flows has emerged, but Poland’s prime minister
of the U.N. Security Council have accused Belarus of
called Russian President Vladimir Putin the “mastermind”
seeking to “[destabilize] neighboring countries and the
behind developments. Observers debate whether
[EU’s] external border and [divert] attention away from its
Lukashenko would pursue such actions on his own.
own increasing human rights violations.”
Russian officials have expressed support for Belarus in its
On November 15, 2021, the EU expanded the scope of
confrontation with Poland and have used the crisis to
existing sanctions against Belarus, making it possible to
promote anti-Polish and anti-EU propaganda. Putin
impose sanctions on “individuals and entities organizing or
criticized Poland and the EU for an unwillingness to accept
contributing to activities ... that facilitate illegal crossing of
migrants, accused the EU of failing to uphold humanitarian
the EU’s external borders.” The Biden Administration has
ideals, and highlighted Poland’s use of riot gear against the
said it also is considering additional sanctions. Several
migrants. In a phone call with German Chancellor Merkel,
Members of Congress have expressed concerns about
Putin reportedly told Merkel to deal directly with
Belarus’s use of hybrid operations against European states
Belarusian authorities to resolve the crisis.
and stressed the need to provide for the safety and security
of mistreated migrants and asylum seekers.
Humanitarian Issues and Policy
In response to urgent needs and to guard against further loss
Rhoda Margesson, Specialist in International
of life, UNHCR, IOM, and others, including the Belarusian
Humanitarian Policy
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Migrant Crisis on the Belarus-Poland Border
Cory Welt, Specialist in Russian and European Affairs
Derek E. Mix, Specialist in European Affairs
IF11983
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11983 · VERSION 1 · NEW