“Safe Floors” in the semi-meter

Why would you think that?

Because of the aggression we experienced at the beginning of our operation. No uncertainty the another side was to test our tactics, see what the weaknesses of our subdivisions are, or how to do it, to distract them as much as possible. But it didn't work. About all 2 weeks we change our way of doing things, we focus on mobility and avoiding patterns. Earlier, the peculiar shifts at the stations rotated regularly, at fixed hours, so for the another hand it was clear that it was best to strike during the shift of duty, due to the fact that then the soldiers were tired and reasoning about rest. That's why it's changed. There were besides more vehicles, mixed patrols, consisting, among others, of gendarmes from the peculiar Branch and police from the prevention troops. It's just the fact that they appear among the soldiers that it's slowing down on the another side, due to the fact that it's known that if they utilized means of direct coercion, they would do it effectively. The introduction of these mobile patrols, as well as the reorganization of the common notification and alert system, has besides ensured that, wherever anything happens, appropriate forces can appear within 10 minutes at the site. We besides have a very well-organized alleged second line, where soldiers operate in the forest, including national parks.

Are you talking about fast consequence forces?

It's about soldiers who conduct patrols there, and aid those who have already entered Poland. They are frequently exhausted, but besides beaten by Belarusians. Because, as they say, they're treated in a beastly way, because, for example, they ran out of money, they can't buy tools, phones, food, which makes them useless. Among another things, it is their large determination to get to Poland. But among them there are besides more and more people who admit that they were trained, whether in Belarus or Moscow, for example from the construction of improvised explosives. Therefore, we pay large attention to the verification of people who will be in our country. But that's the occupation of another services, the military is stopping specified persons and handing them over to their officers.

And at what point are the work to identify the killer? Sergeant. Matthew Sitka?

These works are very intense, but this is simply a subject that is only discussed during briefings held in close group. So I can't talk much about it, but it seems that the service is already very close to revealing this person.

Back to the border situation. In September Poland ravaged the flood, then the attention of the public, the media was primarily directed towards the south-western part of the country. What happened in the east?

I think that this situation was noted in Belarus, but at the time it turned out that the fact that 1 tactical relationship, the 18th Mechanized Division, is operating on the border, results in greater flexibility in operation and command. During the flood, I could afford to retreat the 22nd Mountain Infantry Battalion from Kłodzka within 24 hours, so that soldiers could go to their homes and fight for their belongings. There were 120 soldiers on the border earlier, so the procedure would most likely take longer. As commander of 18 DZ and Operation “Safe Podlasie” I simply have more freedom to make decisions. If, for example, bulldozers are needed in 1 episode, they come from the subordinate divisions of the units, I do not request to compose a letter asking for specified equipment. In this way, the exchange of papers has been kept to a minimum, which is of large importance in terms of time. And I know my commanders very well. I know that this 1 is large erstwhile it comes to, for example, organizing work in a garrison, and another 1 will work in the field and will be able to kidnap soldiers. But don't get me wrong. It's not about all the soldiers being in the field. Yes, it is important, but in order for it to be decently implemented, individual has to plan these actions. Synergy is crucial here, as well as the right people being in the right place.

What about the service of the soldiers themselves who operate on the alleged belt?

First, the ministry lasts 12 hours, followed by 24 hours of free time. There may, of course, be cases of extension of service in situations where tasks already started should be completed. Imagine that we have information that a large number of people are trying to cross the border somewhere. Then I can't say, it's 5:00, so go to the base, somehow. But of course everything is regulated. erstwhile again, it's not work, it's service.

How long have individual soldiers been stationed in border areas?

I and the commanders of the individual groups were assigned to the border areas for the duration of Operation Safe Podlasie, i.e. for six months, while the individual subdivisions rotate for a maximum of 3 months at the border, in practice the commanders set the rotations within 2 to 3 weeks.

The border checks?

Definitely. surely there are soldiers who, while serving here, wonder if the military is for them, due to the fact that not only are they carrying out real activities, they inactive frequently service far from home. After all, a professional soldier is not assigned to service in a given area as a soldier of territorial defence. What if specified a individual were assigned to service abroad? Compared to what I witnessed erstwhile I served in Iraq or Afghanistan, it can be said that there are truly comfortable conditions here. This is not only about fulfilling the tasks themselves, but besides about social and surviving conditions. These are now perfect, very different to those that the military remembers from the beginning of their activities at the border. In addition, there is financial gratification, due to the fact that in addition to the salary, all soldier receives a 180 PLN allowance per day, and there are besides financial awards, which I personally grant for the performance of additional duties or the perfect performance of any task. So there's truly nothing to complain about.

Work is besides ongoing on strengthening the dam.

Yes, the individual bays, which, for example, were spread by migrants, were reinforced with more. They were mounted across the vertical ones, which made it impossible to compression through them anymore. The construction of an electronic firewall is besides ongoing. It will be saturated with cameras, including thermo- and night imagination cameras, which will give us insight not only into what is happening on the border itself, but besides on its Belarusian side.

And that's legal?

Yes, due to the fact that the cameras will be located in Poland. There was besides a concept, in my opinion, very good, that reflection towers on the border should besides be placed, of course besides equipped with modern optoelectronic technology. specified towers in the confederate part of the border have Border Guard, which makes it unnecessary for a soldier or an officer to be present. If an operator of specified a strategy sees that there is an effort to illegally cross the border, e.g. across the Bug River, that information is immediately sent to the appropriate services or fast consequence forces. So that the construction of this electronic barrier and reflection towers will supply us with what we want most at the moment, that is, the current information about what is happening and, if necessary, the ability to respond quickly, and yet besides the simplification of the forces and resources that will be stationed at the border.

When can this happen?

Work on individual sections of the border continues, the Border defender is liable for it and should be completed by the end of the year. But I can't talk about details. We are constantly dealing with migratory pressure; the places where attempts are made to cross the border illegally are not random. Migrants have checked where this is impossible and where the chances are greater. Initially specified a weak point was the area at the tallness of the town of Gruszko, where due to the marshes located there it was not possible to build a permanent barrier. However, this terrain was conducive to us due to the fact that we had good conditions to observe and hold migrants.

Winter is coming. Is Operation Safe Podlasie ready for it?

Yeah, we're getting ready for winter. A precedence for us is to guarantee that roads and good conditions of service for the soldiers themselves are expensive. There may be quite a few snow in the border areas, and it will be slippery, so we gotta make certain that our vehicles can decision safely. And due to environmental regulations, we can't just pour sand or salt everywhere. The process of issuing winter jackets to soldiers is underway, and we besides ordered chemical warmers for gloves and shoes. Soldiers operating in the field will receive cancers, snow rockets so that they can decision freely. In contrast, watch booths are already replaced by containers. These are not yet connected to the current, due to the fact that in order for this to be possible, the construction of the electronic barrier must be completed. However, the main thing is that soldiers can take shelter somewhere, for example during the rain or snowfall, and not stay in them all the time. This could consequently lead to dangerous situations, due to the fact that believe me, the transition of an organized group itself cannot be heard, so it would be easy to overlook it, and it is not known what ideas could come to head by migrants themselves.

What about the another side's actions? Can they be predicted?

In fact, these actions are unpredictable. However, we anticipate an effort to push a large group of people across the border, as well as further search for weaknesses in securing it. Nor do we regulation out that this migratory force may be shifted southwards, or Bug. Today, this river is an insurmountable barrier for migrants. Although there is no barrier in these areas, there were fewer attempts to cross the border. They're just afraid of water. But since the permanent barrier is inactive reinforced, they may begin to take the hazard of crossing the river, even though it will pose a threat to their wellness and life. And if not, possibly they'll head north towards Lithuania. But the surgery's not gonna stop. due to the fact that for the Belarusians it's business, and it's profitable.