Poland has begun construction of a canal that will allow ships to bypass Russia

Warsaw - Poland today officially began constructing a waterway that will connect the Baltic Sea with the Vistula Lagoon. Once completed, Polish ships will no longer have to navigate through Russian waters. Moscow and environmentalists oppose the project.

According to the Polish government, this is a key construction project that will support the local economy of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship and the safety of the state. Once operational, Polish vessels sailing from the Baltic Sea to the port of Elbląg will not have to pass through the Russian port of Baltiysk, which is the main base of the Russian military Baltic fleet. The journey through this route is very lengthy due to customs and security procedures.

Upon the planned completion in 2022, a five-meter-deep canal will allow ships up to 100 meters in length to pass through. The project's cost is estimated at 880 million zlotys (about 5.2 billion CZK).

Plans for a canal across the land isthmus known as the Vistula Spit have appeared in Poland for two decades, and the main supporters include the national-conservative Law and Justice party (PiS), which has a very critical stance towards Russia. According to Polish media, Moscow disagrees with the project and points to the potential ecological damage caused by the construction near its border. Polish environmentalists and the European Commission share a similar view, expressing concerns over the ecological harm caused by the construction in an area included in the EU Natura 2000 project.