Poland Plans To Move Around 10,000 Troops To Border With Belarus

Poland is to deploy 10,000 troops to its eastern border with Belarus in response to growing fears about Wagner forces in the region.

Wagner forces have been stationed in Belarus, a key ally of Russia, in the aftermath of the group’s brief revolt.

According to Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, 10,000 soldiers would be stationed at the border, with 4,000 directly supporting border guards and the rest 6,000 serving as reserves.

Blaszczak justified the move by citing claimed violations of Polish airspace by two military planes, which Belarus dismissed as “far-fetched.”

“The violation of Polish space by Belarusian helicopters cannot be underestimated because of the Belarusian approach,” Blaszczak said, adding that it was yet another provocation.

“Everything that happens in Belarus is coordinated with Russian actions,” he stated.

According to the Polish national news agency PAP, Blaszczak agreed to send extra troops to the border on Wednesday but did not specify how many.

Poland is to deploy 10,000 troops to its eastern border with Belarus in response to growing fears about Wagner forces in the region.

Meanwhile, according to a summary from a board meeting issued by the Defence Ministry on Wednesday, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu reviewed plans for Russia to beef up its forces on its western frontiers.

Shoigu cited increased militarization in Poland as one of the reasons for the action.

In recent weeks, Poland has raised the alarm regarding Wagner forces in the country.

The beginning of August witnessed heightened activity near the Suwalki gap or corridor, a tiny piece of land between Poland and Lithuania that troops from the Russian mercenary company Wagner are advancing towards in an apparent attempt to boost pressure on NATO and EU nations.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has warned that Wagner fighters may disguise themselves as migrants to reach the border.

Lithuania, another of Belarus’s neighbors, has also reinforced its border, citing the threat of Wagner fighters.

SOURCE – (CNN)