Poland rolls out plans for fortifications along its border with Russia and Belarus

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Defense officials in NATO member Poland on Monday presented a plan to strengthen anti-drone surveillance and on-ground military defense through a system of fortifications and barriers along about 700 kilometers (430 miles) of its eastern border with Russia and Russian ally Belarus.

The government says Poland, which supports neighboring Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s aggression, is being targeted by hostile actions from Russia and Belarus. They include cyberattacks, attempted arson and migrants being pushed illegally across the border, which officials describe as intended to destabilize the European Union, of which Poland is a member.

The government is also making preparations in the case of a military attack, while stressing the primary role of deterrence.

The government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk has planned a range of security measures including in cyberspace, as well as a more than $2.5 billion investment in strengthening surveillance, deterrence and defense along the eastern border, a system known as Shield-East that is to be completed in 2028. Work on it has started, officials said.

“The goal of the shield is to protect the territory of Poland, hamper the mobility of our adversary's troops while making such mobility easier for our own troops and to protect civilians,” Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said at a news conference, adding that local communities understand the need for such steps.

The shield will include “all kinds of fortifications, barriers, monitoring of the air space on every level and upgrading the existing systems,” and will be integrated with the defense system across the country, Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

He stressed it was the biggest program to strengthen NATO's eastern flank since 1945, when World War II ended.

Chief of Staff Gen. Wiesław Kukuła said it will include a network of state-of-the-art anti-drone monitoring and defense towers, anti-tank barriers and ditches, bunkers and shelters, as well as space for potential mine fields. He stressed their primary role is to deter any potential aggressor.

The officials said the system will be part of a regional defense infrastructure built jointly with the Baltic states — Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia — that are also on NATO's eastern flank. The funding will come from the government, as Poland spends over 4% of its GDP on defense, but help will also be sought from the EU because the system will also strengthen the eastern border of the 27-member bloc, they said.

Some observers noted that the much-publicized presentation came two weeks ahead of elections to the European Parliament, where Poland, a nation of some 38 million, holds 52 seats, and could be partly seen as a campaign element for the government that took office in December. The opposition also supports strengthening Poland’s defense.

Poland’s previous right-wing government built a $400 million wall on the border with Belarus to halt a massive inflow of migrants that began to be pushed from that direction in 2021. The current pro-EU government says that needs to be strengthened, but will be a separate project from Shield-East.

The three Baltic states were once part of the Soviet Union, while Poland was a satellite state before the 1990s. Moscow still regards the area as within its sphere of interest. To its east, Poland borders Russia's exclave of Kaliningrad, as well as NATO ally Lithiania, Moscow's ally Belarus, and Ukraine.

Poland's Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz speaks about a program of strengthening the defense of NATO'S eastern flank in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, May, 27, 2024, during a presentation of a program to upgrade the security of Poland's border with Russia and Belarus, which is also European Union's eastern border. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

From left, Poland's Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, Polish armed forces' Chief of Staff. Gen Wieslaw Kukula and Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk speak about a program of strengthening the defense of NATO'S eastern flank in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, May, 27, 2024, during a presentation of a program to upgrade the security of Poland's border with Russia and Belarus, which is also European Union's eastern border. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Poland's Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz speaks about a program of strengthening the defense of NATO'S eastern flank in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, May, 27, 2024, during a presentation of a program to upgrade the security of Poland's border with Russia and Belarus, which is also European Union's eastern border. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Polish armed forces' Chief of Staff. Gen Wieslaw Kukula, right , and Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk, second right, speak about a program of strengthening the defense of NATO'S eastern flank in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, May, 27, 2024, during a presentation of a program to upgrade the security of Poland's border with Russia and Belarus, which is also European Union's eastern border. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Polish armed forces' Chief of Staff. Gen Wieslaw Kukula, right , and Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk, second right, speak about a program of strengthening the defense of NATO'S eastern flank in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, May, 27, 2024, during a presentation of a program to upgrade the security of Poland's border with Russia and Belarus, which is also European Union's eastern border. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

FILE - Members of a group of some 30 migrants seeking asylum look through the railings of a wall that Poland has built on its border with Belarus to stop massive migrant pressure, in Bialowieza, Poland, on May 28, 2023. Defense officials in NATO member Poland were presenting plans Monday, May 27, 2024, for fortifications and strengthening of its eastern border with Russia and Moscow ally Belarus. (AP Photo/Agnieszka Sadowska, File)

BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — Taylor Pendrith shot a 7-under 64 on Friday to take a two-stroke lead over Matt NeSmith into the weekend in the 3M Open.

Playing in windier afternoon conditions, Pendrith made a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-4 16th and tapped in for another birdie on the par-5 18th. He had a 12-under 130 total at the TPC Twin Cities, playing the first 36 holes without a bogey.

The 33-year-old Canadian won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in May in Texas for his first PGA Tour title. He tied for fifth last week in the Barracuda Championship in California.

“Today was pretty tricky with the wind, it was blowing pretty hard at times, so my speed was great all day and stayed really patient," Pendrith said. “I didn’t really have many good looks through the first hour I would say of golf and was able to stay patient and make a couple, made a couple longer ones, which was nice.”

NeSmith had a 64 in the morning before wind gusts topping 20 mph hit the course in the afternoon and early evening.

Seeking his first PGA Tour victory, NeSmith lost in a playoff two weeks ago at the ISCO Championship in Kentucky, his lone top-10 finish in 20 prior starts this season. He has missed 11 cuts.

“Patience is key out here whether it be to win golf tournaments, to make cuts, to try and keep your card to try and get in the top 30,” NeSmith said. “I think it pertains to each and every person out here. You never know when you’re going to get hot, you never know when good golf’s coming. Just kind of try and be patient, try and keep calmer heads and you never know what will happen.”

First-round leader Jacob Bridgeman had a 70 to drop three strokes back at 9 under with Andrew Putnam (66). Doug Ghim (64), Lanto Griffin (66), Alex Smalley (65) and Jhonattan Vegas (66) were 8 under.

“I felt like anything under par today was pretty good, especially in the afternoon,” said Bridgeman, one of the last players to tee off Friday. “The wind was blowing really hard in the beginning of the round, caught a little bit of a lull at the end, which was nice. But greens were kind of bumpy from all the traffic. … I stayed patient all day, didn’t really have a whole lot of great chances.”

The event is the second-to-last tournament before the FedEx Cup playoffs begin, with some players near the 70-player cutoff failing to advance to the weekend. Nick Dunlap (64th in the standings), Luke List (71st) and defending champion Lee Hodges (73rd) missed the cut.

Jacob Bridgeman walks on the 10th tee during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Stewart Cink watches his tee shot on the 10th hole during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Kurt Kitayama watches his tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Lanto Griffin watches his tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Andrew Putnam watches his tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Matt NeSmith walks off the 18th green after his putt during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Matt NeSmith watches his tee shot on the second hole during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Taylor Pendrith lines up his putt on the 18th green during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Taylor Pendrith putts on the 18th green during the second round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, Friday, July 26, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)