Polish farmers resume Ukrainian border blockade at Medyka-Shehyni crossing until year-end

Polish farmers have announced plans to block truck traffic at the Medyka-Shehyni border crossing from 8 October to 31 December 2024, according to information released by the State Customs Service of Ukraine on 8 October.

From fall 2023 to spring 2024, Polish truckers and later farmers blocked all key border crossings between Poland and Ukraine, halting truck traffic and compounding Russia’s maritime embargo. This blockade significantly strained Ukraine’s economy and disrupted vital supply lines amid its fight against Russian aggression. Now, several months later, the Polish farmers resume their blockade.

The Ukrainian customs authority stated,

“According to information from the Polish side, local farmers have announced a possible protest action in the form of blocking the movement of freight vehicles in front of the Medyka-Shehyni checkpoint from 8 October to 31 December 2024.”

At the time of the press release publication, the processing of vehicles at the border crossing was being carried out as usual. The Customs Service has promised to provide additional information in case the strike begins and if there are any further changes to the situation.

The organizer of the blockade, Rafał Mekler, confirmed the start of the protests on social media platform X.

“Field work is taken care of. We can fight for our own. And that’s good! Farmers are back in the game,” he wrote.

Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation previously reported that Mekler is linked to Poland’s fringe party “Confederation,” which advocates for Poland’s exit from the EU, criticizes the deployment of NATO troops in the country, and prior to 2022 campaigned for improved relations with Russia. The party does not have widespread support among Poles. Mekler himself unsuccessfully ran for the Sejm in 2019.

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