Poland: Stationing Troops On Border With Belarus Not A Hostile Action, But Deterrence

Poland had decided to beef up security at its border with Belarus, stationing up to 10,000 soldiers at the border with Belarus after two Belarusian military helicopters entered Polish airspace

WARSAW - The Polish defense minister Mariusz Blaszczak spoke on Saturday regarding the recent increase in soldiers on the country's border with Belarus, saying that the move was not a hostile act, as is being claimed by Russia and Belarus, but one of deterrence.

“There is no doubt that the Belarus regime is cooperating with the Kremlin and that the attacks on the Polish border are intended to destabilize our country,” the Polish defense minister said.

Poland had decided to beef up security at its border with Belarus, stationing up to 10,000 soldiers at the border with Belarus after two Belarusian military helicopters entered Polish airspace last week.

The actions by Belarus Blaszczak says "pose a threat to our security" leading Poland to build up its "deterrence potential".

Blaszczak said that although up to 10,000 troops will be stationed on the border with Belarus, some will be in active training and patrolling, while others will be on standby.

In addition to threats by Belarus, Poland is concerned about the presence of Russian Wagner mercenaries within the country, and about Wagner sending migrants to the border in what Poland calls "hybrid warfare" with the intention of triggering instability in the West.

Belarusian independent analyst Valery Karbalevich spoke to The Associated Press and said, “Moscow very much doesn’t like that it is Poland that insists on new sanctions, advocates for Kyiv, and actively supports Ukraine’s accession to the EU and NATO".

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