By Riffat Kausar
Scandinavian News Finland
For years, Belarus has reportedly used migrants as a strategic tool to exert political and social pressure on Europe
This tactic, which has intensified in recent months, aligns with Russia’s hybrid warfare strategy and is carried out under the supervision of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
Underground Smuggling Operations
Polish border authorities have recently uncovered a series of tunnels beneath the Belarus-Poland frontier. Military experts note that such tunnels resemble methods traditionally used by Middle Eastern militant groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah, for covert movement.
According to officials cited by The Telegraph, Russia is reportedly transporting migrants through these underground networks from Belarus into Europe as part of a broader hybrid campaign against Western nations.
Belarus allegedly employed specialists from the Middle East, described as having “a high level of expertise,” to plan and construct the tunnels.
Recent Discoveries on the Polish Border
In 2025, Polish border guards in Podlaskie Voivodeship, which spans more than two-thirds of the Belarusian border, discovered four smuggling tunnels.
Lt. Col. Katarzyna Zdanowicz confirmed that the largest tunnel, found near the village of Narewka in eastern Poland in mid-December,
had been used by approximately 180 migrants. Most of these individuals, mainly from Afghanistan and Pakistan, were apprehended upon crossing into Poland.
- Location: Narewka, eastern Poland
- Migrants involved: 180 (Afghanistan and Pakistan)
- Discovery: Mid-December 2025
- Outcome: Most arrested by Polish authorities
- Smuggling Tunnels
Belarus’ Role in Migrant Flows
Under Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus for more than three decades, the country has become a key actor in orchestrated migration flows intended to destabilize European nations.
Even before Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Belarus served as a staging ground for thousands of migrants crossing the Polish border.
This prompted Poland to construct a 200-kilometer border fence equipped with 300 surveillance cameras to curb illegal crossings.
Since the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022, Russia has also carried out numerous cross-border operations, including:
- Drone incursions into European airspace
- Firebomb attacks on key airports
- Sabotage operations targeting factories and railways supplying aid to Kyiv
- Smuggling Tunnels
These activities highlight a multi-pronged hybrid warfare strategy combining both physical and logistical pressure on European countries.
Strategic Implications for Europe
Experts warn that the use of underground tunnels to smuggle migrants represents a sophisticated and deliberate tactic to create political tension in Europe.
Unlike conventional migration crises, these operations are highly organized and supported by state actors, raising concerns over regional security.
- Political Pressure: Migrant flows are being used to influence European policymaking and border control strategies.
- Security Concerns: Underground tunnels bypass traditional border defenses, challenging national security frameworks.
- Hybrid Warfare: The strategy complements other covert actions, including drone strikes and sabotage, creating a multi-layered threat.
- Smuggling Tunnels
Background Context
Belarus’ approach to migration as a political tool is not new. Historically, the country has leveraged its geographical position to pressure neighboring EU countries.
The hybrid nature of these tactics combining human migration, clandestine operations, and military provocations reflects a broader trend in modern geopolitical conflicts.
Polish authorities have remained vigilant, using technological and physical barriers to detect and prevent illegal crossings.
The recent tunnel discoveries underscore the evolving complexity of the migrant crisis, which now involves cross-border coordination and advanced construction techniques.
Conclusion
The uncovering of tunnels used for smuggling migrants from Belarus into Poland exposes a deliberate and strategic effort by state actors to exert pressure on Europe.
With Russia’s involvement, these operations are part of a broader hybrid warfare campaign targeting Western security and political stability.
Poland and other European nations face growing challenges in addressing these sophisticated threats, requiring both robust border security and coordinated international responses to manage migration flows and prevent destabilization.
Learn more about the discovery of smuggling tunnels and how they are being used to move migrants across the Belarus–Poland border.
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