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Updated December 13, 2021
Migrant Crisis on the Belarus-Poland Border
Since May 2021, Belarusian authorities have been accused
migrants, and refugees, including women and children,
of facilitating migration flows—mainly from Iraq but also
many of whom had been stranded for weeks. Makeshift
from Syria, Afghanistan, and other countries in the Middle
camps on the Belarusian side near the border crossing point
East and Africa—to Belarus and on to Belarus’s borders
did not have adequate shelter, food, water, or medical care.
with neighboring European Union (EU) member states
At least 10 people reportedly died from exposure.
Lithuania and Poland (and, to a lesser extent, Latvia). See
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
Source: Map created by CRS.
operations, Russia’s deepening military presence in and
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. Then-German Chancellor Angela
Since 2020, the EU and the United States have imposed
Merkel spoke with Lukashenko by telephone the next day
sanctions on Belarus in response to a crackdown on a mass
(their second call that week). Subsequently, Belarusian
protest movement in the wake of a fraudulent presidential
authorities cleared the border area and provided migrants
election. They also have imposed sanctions in response to
with shelter and relief items. The government of Iraq,
Belarus’s forced diversion of an international flight in May
which ceased air travel to Belarus in August 2021, arranged
2021 to detain a Belarusian dissident living abroad.
an initial return flight for more than 400 migrants; other
countries’ airlines imposed new restrictions on flights to
In response to Western pressure, Belarus’s leader
Belarus. More migrants and refugees reportedly have
Alexander Lukashenko suggested in May 2021 that Belarus
returned to their countries of origin, as well.
would no longer stop “migrants and drugs” from entering
the EU. At the end of June 2021, Lukashenko announced
Some observers attributed Belarusian authorities’ newfound
the suspension of a Belarus-EU readmission agreement,
willingness to shelter and facilitate the return of migrants to
their home countries to Lukashenko’s desire for
which required Belarus to accept the return of migrants who
official
had transited Belarus to the EU. In August, Lukashenko
engagement with European leaders. Lukashenko may have
said the EU had “put us in such conditions that we have to
perceived, rightly or wrongly, that such engagement
react. And we are reacting ... in the best way we can.”
bolsters perceptions of his authority and legitimacy, after
months of domestic challenges and international isolation.
On November 12, 2021, after having been granted access
The timing of Belarus’
by Belarusian authorities, the U.N. High Commissioner for
s about face—hours after
Refugees (UNHCR) and International Organization for
international media broadcast images of Polish forces
Migration (IOM) reported the presence along the Belarus-
responding to migrants with riot gear—suggests another
Poland border of approximately 2,000 asylum seekers,
potential aim of Belarus’s actions: to generate scenes of
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 1 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
In December 2021, the EU and the United States imposed
confrontation with Poland and have used the crisis to
further sanctions on Belarusian individuals and entities,
promote anti-Polish and anti-EU propaganda. Putin
including in response to Belarus’s instigation of the migrant
criticized Poland and the EU for an unwillingness to accept
crisis. Several Members of Congress have expressed
migrants, accused the EU of failing to uphold humanitarian
concerns about Belarus’s use of hybrid operations against
ideals, and highlighted Poland’s use of riot gear against the
European states and stressed the need to provide for the
migrants. In a phone call with German Chancellor Merkel,
safety and security of mistreated migrants and asylum
Putin reportedly told Merkel to deal directly with
seekers.
Belarusian authorities to resolve the crisis.
Rhoda Margesson, Specialist in International
Humanitarian Issues and Policy
Humanitarian Policy
In response to urgent needs and to guard against further loss
Derek E. Mix, Specialist in European Affairs
of life, UNHCR, IOM, and others, including the Belarusian
Cory Welt, Specialist in Russian and European Affairs
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Migrant Crisis on the Belarus-Poland Border
IF11983
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