Poland deploys 10,000 troops along its border with Belarus
As tensions between Poland and Belarus escalate, Poland has decided to deploy 10,000 troops to the border and nearby areas. Fearing that mercenary group Wagner troops would cross the border, Warsaw accused Belarus of damaging the border and encouraging illegal migrant smuggling.
Polish defense minister Mariusz Błaszczak announced that Warsaw would deploy a significant number of troops to the border with Belarus.
4,000 troops will be tasked with assisting the Polish Border Guard, while 6,000 soldiers will stand in reserve in areas close to the border.
On Thursday, the Defense Minister accused Belarus of encouraging EU-bound migrants to damage border fortifications and of organizing the smuggling of illegal migrants along the border, the Polish public radio reported.
He said this decision was taken to "deter potential aggressors from any attack".
BELARUSIAN HELICOPTERS IN POLISH AIRSPACE
The increased number of troops stationed at the border comes after two Belarusian helicopters entered the Polish border last week.
"We cannot ignore actions such as incursions into our airspace because of the aggressive attitude displayed by the Belarusian authorities," Błaszczak said.
'BELARUS IS COORDINATED WITH RUSSIA'
The Defense Minister claimed that Minsk's actions, including the presence of the Russian-backed Wagner mercenary group in Belarus, are coordinated with Russia.
'WAGNER TROOPS RETURN TO RUSSIA'
On Wednesday, the US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggested that Wagner forces had begun withdrawing from Belarus and were preparing to return to Russia.
On the other hand, however, some independent reports said that Wagner fighters have been conducting exercises with airborne Belarusian troops and continue to train them.
The migrant crisis, which Warsaw does not recognize as hybrid warfare, began in 2021. Since then, it has erected physical and electronic barriers at the border to prevent migrants from entering the country.
Source: Brussels Signal
