10,000 Troops to be Deployed Along Belarus Border, Poland Plans
Poland is looking to station 10,000 soldiers along its border with Belarus, the country’s Defense Minister announced on Thursday. The move comes as tensions rise due to the presence and unauthorized crossings of Russian-backed mercenaries into Belarus, and the attempts by agitated residents to breach the border without Russian-provided support.
Separately, the Polish armed forces stated that they are searching an area near the Belarusian border for a missing fuse from a missile, but this action is not seen as a threat since “the detonator’s internal safety remains intact.” The military explained, “Special equipment is being used to carry out discreet operations to ensure safety, and the missing item from the munition was lost during careful maneuvers.”
“After the conclusion of combat flights on Tuesday, helicopters conducting a patrol in the border region found one helicopter without a missile fuse. The flight was conducted along the border strip, and no territory was entered,” said the military in a statement, urging the public to notify the police upon encountering the missing item.
Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak mentioned that up to 10,000 soldiers would be stationed along the border area. A day after this announcement, another official stated that Poland would send an additional 2,000 troops to the border within the next two weeks, essentially doubling its military presence in the region.
Soldiers are being deployed to assist police and border guard officers in improving their operations.
Over the past two years, there have been attempts by residents from Belarus to illegally enter Poland’s border region. In response to President Alexander Lukashenko’s “hybrid warfare” tactics and the Western-leaning governments’ concerns, Poland has enacted legislation to open a legal pathway for residency.
Poland has also expressed concern over the presence of fighters from the Wagner Group in Belarus, following a brief rebellion in Russia in June. Tensions escalated further last week when two Belarusian military helicopters briefly entered Polish airspace, prompting Warsaw to interpret the move as a calculated provocation.
As the parliamentary elections in Poland are scheduled for October 15th, the ruling Law and Justice party has attempted to demonstrate that it takes security seriously by seeking this unprecedented third term.
A NATO official stated at the beginning of this week that Belarus has begun a large-scale military exercise near its border with Poland, with the Western Military District of Belarus monitoring the situation, but no immediate threat has been observed.
NATO spokesperson Wana Lungesku said, “In response to Russia’s aggressive actions, NATO’s presence in the eastern part of the alliance has significantly increased, and we are doing whatever necessary to deter any threat and safeguard every inch of our allied territory.”
“While we do not see any direct or imminent military threat posed by our neighbor’s military exercises, we remain vigilant,” added Lungescu.
By: M Z Hossain, Editor Sky Bazz Feed
