Polish Farmers Dump Grain Near Ukrainian Border Crossing, Ukraine Responds

Actions by Polish farmers, who dumped Ukrainian grain from a wagon near the Medyka-Shengen border crossing, are being characterized as a political provocation. This statement was made by Ukraine's Minister of Community, Territories and Infrastructure Development, Oleksandr Kubrakov. The information was reported by TASS.

"The dumping of Ukrainian grain along the railway lines is yet another political provocation aimed at dividing our peoples," he wrote on X.

Today, the Onet.pl portal reported, referencing videos posted on social media, that protesting Polish farmers blocked traffic on the railway at the Medyka crossing and again dumped grain from railway cars.

A similar incident occurred earlier on February 11 at the border with Ukraine in Dorohusk, where Polish farmers were seen dumping wheat from several Ukrainian trucks. The Prosecutor's Office of Poland is currently investigating the matter.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal communicated the unacceptability of such actions to his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk over the phone. The head of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture, Czesław Siekierski, has apologized for the actions of the protesting farmers.

On February 9, Polish farmers began widespread protests and blockades at border crossings with Ukraine, demanding limits or a total ban on the import of cheap agricultural products from Ukraine, stronger support for national livestock, and expressing disagreement with the EU's "Green Deal" strategy aiming for zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The leadership of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture has supported the protests. It is notable that Polish farmers, protesting by blocking crossings with Ukraine, have completely shut off the passage of trucks, and at three crossings, no other types of transportation are being allowed. This was reported by the State Border Guard of Ukraine.

Currently, 6 out of 9 crossings are blocked. According to Ukrainian media, earlier, Polish protesters were allowing one truck to pass per hour. According to the State Border Guard Service, truck traffic is now completely blocked at all six crossings. Additionally, at three crossings, passenger vehicles and buses will temporarily not be allowed, with traffic open only for humanitarian aid and essential cargo.

According to Vladimir Baliny, Vice President of the Association of International Carriers of Ukraine, around 4,000 trucks were waiting at the Ukraine-Poland border throughout the day. The situation at the border has provoked a swift response from Kyiv, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky describing it as mockery.