Dozens of migrants pushed their way into Poland from Belarus

Two large groups of immigrants crossed the border into Belarus and entered the territory of Poland, the Polish news agency PAP reported late last night.

Dozens of migrants managed to drop parts of the fence in the villages of Krinki and Bialoveza, the agency explained, citing a report by local radio station Bialystok.

The radio station quoted a representative of the Polish border guard as saying that several migrants were taken back to Belarusian territory, but others were able to escape.

On the Belarusian side of the border there are hundreds of people hoping to arrive in a European Union country and seek asylum, mainly in Germany.

Poland has refused to allow them to enter its territory and has deployed hundreds of police at the border in recent weeks. It has also erected barbed wire fences to prevent crossings.

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday called on Warsaw to allow them to cross, explaining that their destination is other countries. The European Union (EU) has accused Mr Lukashenko of creating a crisis by issuing visas to immigrants and then sending them to Europe in retaliation for European sanctions imposed by Brussels on his government over its crackdown on Belarussian opposition. 2020.

The EU is preparing to impose new sanctions on the government in Minsk, on the Belarusian public airline Belavia and on third countries and airlines it deems involved.

Germany is in favor of imposing new European Union sanctions on Belarus, German Foreign Minister Haiko Maas said on Wednesday, accusing the Belarusian president of "ruthlessly" exploiting thousands of migrants he pushes across the border.

"We will impose sanctions on all those involved in targeted migrant trafficking," Maas said in a press release issued by his services, warning that the EU was working to "extend and strengthen (...) sanctions against him." Lukashenko regime ".

"Lukashenko must realize that his calculations will have no effect," he added.