Poland beefs up military presence on border with Belarus
The Polish Minister of Defense has announced that the country has increased the number of troops deployed to protect its border with Belarus. The move is seen as a deterrent against the "destabilising" actions of Belarus, a pro-Russian neighbour.
Mariusz Blaszczak met with soldiers deployed near the border in Jarylowka. He said the increased military presence is a deterrent, not an act of aggression, as claimed by Minsk and Moscow.
"We have decided to establish a military operational force called 'Ryngraf'. The operation aims to train the Polish army here in Podlasie province, near the Belarusian border, and on the other hand, it is a reserve in a scenario in which the situation at the border between Poland and Belarus has deteriorated," said the Defense Minister in Warsaw.
The Polish official added that, in the event that deterrence fails and any threat or provocation arises, the military response must be immediate. Warsaw announced this week that up to 10,000 soldiers will be deployed to the border with Belarus, in addition to the usual border guards. Some will be in active preparation and will patrol, while others will be on standby.
Two days ago, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko ordered the resumption of contacts with Poland. This comes after two Belarusian military helicopters entered Polish airspace for a short time last week, an action considered by Warsaw as a deliberate provocation.
At the same time, in Poland, posters with the symbols of the Wagner Group and with the call to join it have begun to appear more and more often in public places. It is not known if the mercenaries are actually trying to recruit Poles or if the posters are put up by Russian agents to exert psychological pressure on Poles, or maybe it is a bad joke. The fact is that the Wagner symbols are increasingly present in major Polish cities.
The increased military presence at the Polish-Belarusian border is a sign of growing tensions between the two countries. The situation is closely watched by the international community, as it could potentially escalate into a conflict.
