San Francisco Frontiers - The 'hedgehogs' leading Poland's defences on Russian border

Polish and German soldiers worked for five weeks at the frontier to dig trenches, lay barbed wire and place long lines of concrete barriers known as "hedgehogs" across the landscape.

The work is part of Poland's "Eastern Shield" -- a programme started in 2024 aimed at securing Poland's and NATO's borders with Russia and Belarus.

It includes the construction of fortifications, equipment depots, as well as reconnaissance and anti-drone installations.

Poland, a member of NATO and the European Union, is one of the alliance's highest military spenders -- allocating about five percent of its GDP on defence. Securing the 210-kilometre (130 mile) border with Russia has become a priority.

According to Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, around 10 billion euros ($8.5 billion) have been allocated to the project.

A German major at the site, who only gave his first name Martin, told generals visiting the area that it had looked "totally different" before the work started.

"Today, right now, is the time to close these gaps," he added.

"It was a huge logistical challenge," Jakob, another German soldier, told AFP.

- Deterring Russia -

The former swamp, made muddy by recent rains, is a natural deterrent for potential invaders.

By combining nature with military technology, Polish forces and their allies hope to deter any Russian threat, as the war in neighbouring Ukraine heads for a fifth year.

Thousands of concrete tetrapod "hedgehogs", designed to slow or stop armoured vehicles, now line the border. They were placed in rows by tractors and soldiers.

In the village of Budry, cows and horses grazing in the rolling fields give little hint of the heavily militarised Kaliningrad exclave next door.

The Russian territory, which borders Poland, Lithuania and the Baltic Sea, is bristling with weaponry, fighter jets and Iskander missiles capable of striking European targets.

The number of Russian soldiers deployed in Kaliningrad is unknown, but military analysts estimate around 20,000-30,000 before the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian Baltic Fleet conducted military exercises in Kaliningrad in June.

"They know what they see, but they don't know what we plan to do with it," Polish Lieutenant General Stanislaw Czosnek told troops.

"We will secure over 200 kilometres of Poland's border at those most sensitive points which are relevant to the conduct of a potential defensive operation," junior defence minister Cezary Tomczyk said of the Eastern Shield project.

Describing it as a "multi-layered system," he added that Poland was purchasing several hundred thousand mines "to be deployed in the event of a defensive operation".

"Polish armed forces can mine the entire eastern and northern border of the Republic of Poland within 48 hours," he added.

- Polish-German cooperation -

For some in Poland, notably the conservative-nationalist opposition, the presence of German forces has been controversial. The northeastern border region was once German territory.

Devastated by Nazi Germany's forces during World War II, Poland has significantly improved relations with its Western neighbour since entering the EU and NATO, but some historical conceptions of Berlin remain.

But the two countries, which in June signed an enhanced cooperation agreement regarding military mobility, logistics, Baltic Sea security, and cybersecurity, emphasise such cooperation is necessary to ensure peace.

In December, Poland and Germany revealed that a number of German troops would be deployed from mid-2026 until the end of 2027 to support Eastern Shield.

From October, French and Polish soldiers, along with elements of the US Army and British groups, will also take part in border-securing activities, the generals said.

"I believe that defending our bilateral ties will be essential in ensuring long-term stability and security in the region," Lieutenant General Czosnek told journalists.

"As Germany and Poland, we are NATO, we are friends, and we are allies," said Major General Tilo Maedler, Chief of the Bundeswehr Joint Force Command.

B.Turner--SFF