Poland closes ten land crossings with Russia and Belarus amid security concerns

The Polish Interior Ministry has suspended traffic through ten land border-crossing points—two with Russia’s Kaliningrad region (Gronowo, Gołdap) and eight with Belarus (Połowce, Sławatycze, Kuźnica, Bobrowniki by road; Białowieża and Rudawka pedestrian crossings; Terespol and Kuźnica rail terminals). The decision, published late on 6 January 2026, cites ‘temporary security reasons’ linked to continued irregular-migration pressure and heightened geopolitical tension.

Although the checkpoints had already seen reduced traffic under earlier restrictions, the new order tightens the clampdown by banning all passenger and freight movement except for humanitarian convoys. Polish Border Guard officials said the closures would be reviewed every 30 days but hinted that re-opening depended on ‘measurable de-escalation’ on the Belarusian side.



Business-travel implications are immediate. Companies moving goods or personnel between Poland and the Kaliningrad enclave must reroute via the Gdańsk ferry link or Lithuanian corridors, adding up to 300 km and new customs formalities. Firms with Belarus-based suppliers face longer transit times through the only remaining open crossing at Kukuryki–Kozlovichi, which is already operating at 150 % of its design capacity.

Employees holding multiple-entry Schengen visas should be advised that entry via the closed points will be refused even if the visa remains valid. Logistics managers should also note that the closures trigger force-majeure clauses in some CMR transport contracts, potentially shifting liability for delivery delays. Insurers have started to impose premiums on loads transiting the Belarus border—costs that will now rise further.

Strategically, the move underscores Warsaw’s hardening stance on hybrid threats emanating from Belarus and Russia while signalling to Brussels that Poland expects further EU funding for border security under the SAFE instrument.