POLAND have ramped up the number of troops deployed on the border of Belarus.
Polish authorities are protesting the “violation of its airspace” by two Belarusian helicopters today as tensions flared in the Ukraine War.
ReutersPolish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki ramped up troops on the border with Belarus[/caption]
EPABelarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is known to be an ally of Putin[/caption]
EPAThe pair previously dined and talked at the Russian president’s Bocharov Ruchei residence in Sochi[/caption]
In a statement, the Polish defence ministry said: “There was a violation of Polish airspace by two Belarusian helicopters that were training near the border.”
Warsaw authorities said that in reaction, they were going to increase Poland‘s military presence along the border.
And they added that they had summoned Belarus’ top diplomat in the Polish capital in protest.
Poland’s ministry added that “NATO was notified” about the incident.
The Foreign Ministry called on Belarus to “immediately and in detail” explain the incident, which it said was an element of the escalation of border tensions between the two countries.
“Poland expects Belarus to refrain from such activities,” read an official statement.
But the Belarusian military denied any such violation and accused Poland – one of Ukraine’s most fervent backers in its conflict with Russia – of making up the accusation to justify a buildup of its troops.
It comes as Vladimir Putin vowed to put tactical nuclear weapons in Nato’s backyard as Ukraine’s long-awaited fightback gained momentum.
The Kremlin tyrant said he will deploy the nukes in Belarus this month.
Putin met his henchman, Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko, in Russia’s Black Sea city Sochi back in June.
He reportedly told him: “We will immediately begin activities related to the deployment of appropriate types of weapons on your territory.”
It is the first time since 1991 that Russia has moved tactical nuclear weapons on to foreign territory and comes after a pact was signed by Lukashenko last month.
Russia will keep control of the nukes, which can be launched on Iskander-M missiles or from Su-25 planes. Belarus has both.
Poland and its neighbours on NATO’s eastern flank have voiced concerns about a potential threat from Belarus which now hosts the Wagner mercenary group.
Anxieties were sparked after mercenaries from the Russia-linked Wagner group arrived following their short-lived rebellion against the Kremlin in June.
On Saturday, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said a group of “one hundred Wagner mercenaries” in Belarus had moved closer to the Polish border.
Morawiecki called it “a step towards further hybrid attack on the Polish territory”.
He said: “They will probably be disguised as Belarusian border guards, helping illegal migrants to cross into Polish territory, to destabilise Poland.”
But Lukashenko denied Poland’s claims that about 100 of the Wagner mercenaries have moved closer to the border, according to a statement published by his office.
“I suddenly hear the other day that Poland has freaked out that allegedly some unit as large as 100 people is moving here. No PMC Wagner units 100 people strong have moved here.
“And if they have, they did it only in order to pass on combat experience to the brigades, which are stationed in Brest and Grodno,” Lukashenko said during a working visit, according to the statement.
