Poland shuts ten border crossings with Russia and Belarus, rerouting freight and travellers

Citing “temporary security reasons” linked to hybrid threats and irregular migration, Poland has suspended traffic through ten land border-crossing points—two with Russia’s Kaliningrad enclave and eight with Belarus. Only humanitarian convoys are exempt. The closures, published late on 6 January and effective immediately, will be reviewed every 30 days but officials gave no timeline for reopening.

Although several checkpoints already operated under reduced hours, the blanket ban forces logistics firms to reroute via Lithuanian corridors or the Gdańsk ferry, adding up to 300 km and fresh customs formalities. The sole remaining Belarus crossing at Kukuryki–Kozlovichi is running at 150 % capacity, threatening multi-hour queues. Insurers have begun levying risk premiums on loads transiting the Belarus border, costs likely to flow through supply chains.



Business travellers must also adapt: entry will be refused at closed points even with a valid Schengen visa. Employers should issue route guidance and ensure drivers carry documents for alternative crossings. Visa service providers report a spike in urgent Schengen-visa requests for rerouted drivers who now transit Lithuania or Latvia.

Strategically the closures tighten Warsaw’s hard-line border policy while signalling to Brussels its need for further EU funding under the SAFE instrument. Companies operating just-in-time supply chains should revisit contingency plans and factor longer lead times into 2026 delivery contracts.