Poland has recorded another night of drone provocations from Russia and Belarus. The country’s Border Guard Service has reported heightened activity of the enemy targets attempting to violate its airspace, PAP reports. 

Polish Minister of Interior Affairs Mariusz Kamiński describes the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border as “very tense.”

“Tonight, the Border Guard observed increased activity of Belarusian and Russian drones trying to cross Polish airspace,” the minister emphasizes.

Border openings only when safe

When asked about reopening border crossings with Belarus, Kamiński reminded that the closure was imposed due to the Russian-Belarusian military exercises “Zapad-2025”.

During the drills, both countries tested an attack on Poland and a nuclear attack. 

“The border will open only when we have full confidence that there are no threats or provocations to Poland. If our intelligence confirms that it is safe, we will reopen the border,” he added.

On 16 September, Belarus also announced that its forces practiced deploying Russia’s Oreshnik missile system, marking the first known training with the weapon system outside Russia.

Impact on freight transport

The suspension affects road and rail transport in both directions, hitting the main route that carries 90% of rail freight between China and the EU. In 2024, shipments via this route increased by 10.6%, and the value of goods rose by 85%, reaching €25.07 billion, as per Politico.

PKP Cargo warned that short delays are manageable, but prolonged border closure would force a rerouting of trade to southern corridors.

French endurance cyclist Sofiane Sehili made it 17,600 kilometers (10,936 miles) across Eurasia on his bicycle. Then Russian border guards stopped him 400 kilometers (248 miles) short of his destination.

Sehili sits in detention in Vladivostok, Russia, after attempting to break the world record for cycling from Lisbon to the Russian Far East city. Russian authorities arrested the 44-year-old on charges of illegal border crossing, according to Le Monde and L’Equipe.

Sehili departed Lisbon on 1 July and cycled through Tajikistan, Mongolia, and China before reaching the border crossing that ended his attempt.

The problems began at the Chinese-Russian frontier on 2 September. Sehili posted on Instagram that customs officials had blocked his entry. He tried twice at border crossings 200 kilometers (124 miles) apart.

“I am the main attraction, the only foreigner,” Sehili described in an Instagram video while waiting at the border. “The police inspect my bike, look at me and say nothing to me. I don’t know if I’ll be able to cross the border.”

Border authorities ultimately denied him entry to Russia. After traveling nearly 200 kilometers between crossing attempts, Sehili received final confirmation he could not continue.

“Failing so close to the goal is heartbreaking,” he wrote on Instagram. The cyclist now faces a decision about whether to attempt the record again, giving himself ten months to decide if the route “will remain a failure forever.”

Sehili left his documentarian career in 2012 to pursue endurance cycling. He has since won 11 major competitions from approximately 20 attempts, including the 4500-kilometer (2800 miles) Tour Divide from Canada to Mexico in 2022.

The French consulate is working to assist the detained cyclist, according to Le Monde. Officials have not disclosed the status of diplomatic efforts to secure his release.

Lithuanian military forces have positioned concrete anti-tank obstacles known as “dragon’s teeth” at several border control points with Russia and Belarus as part of planned defensive measures.

The barriers were installed on roads at unused border crossing points, while at operational checkpoints the obstacles were placed in accessible locations nearby for rapid deployment when needed, according to Lithuanian news agency LRT, citing an announcement from the Lithuanian army.

The military stated that no modifications were made to existing road infrastructure, ensuring that current traffic conditions remain unaffected for residents.

“The installed barriers are only part of a large integrated picture,” said Lithuanian Armed Forces Commander General Raimundas Vaikšnoras. “We start from the tactical level — specific obstacles at the border — and then we will combine the entire engineering scenario into one conceptual system.”

Lithuanian military officials characterized the work as part of a scheduled implementation of counter-mobility measures designed for the planned Baltic Defense Line. This initiative represents a coordinated long-term strategy involving all Baltic states [Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia] and Poland aimed at reducing land invasion threats and limiting potential hostile actions on territory.

Lithuania’s relations with Russia in decline

Lithuania’s relations with Russia deteriorated sharply following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The country condemned the invasion, expelled Russian diplomats, closed the Russian consulate in Klaipėda, and imposed sanctions on Russia. Lithuania also temporarily blocked Russian cargo transit to an exclave of Kaliningrad and ceased purchasing Russian gas entirely.

Recently, Lithuania has also withdrawn from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines and plans to begin domestic production next year. Deputy Defense Minister Karolis Aleksa indicated the country will spend hundreds of millions of euros to produce tens of thousands of mines for defensive purposes, with plans to supply both Lithuania and Ukraine.

The country joins Finland and other Eastern European NATO members in exiting the treaty due to security concerns about Russia, which never signed the agreement. Officials stated the mines will be stored for rapid deployment if threatened rather than creating peacetime minefields.