Poland will boost the number of troops at its eastern border with Belarus to 10,000, the defence minister said Thursday, as he warned about potential security risks from the Russian ally.
“This will be around 10,000 soldiers,” Mariusz Blaszczak told public radio regarding the total troop presence, an increase from the additional number announced the day before.
He said 4,000 soldiers will support the national border agency and the remaining 6,000 will be in the reserve.
“We decided to move troops closer to the Belarusian border in order to… scare the aggressor, so that the aggressor doesn’t dare to attack Poland,” he added.
Poland has been sounding the alarm on threats that it says neighbouring Belarus poses, warning against “provocations” especially involving the Wagner mercenary group currently based in the country.
Warsaw says the Wagner fighters could try to cross into Poland or help migrants flood into the European Union.
Last week, Poland accused Minsk of violating its airspace after two Belarusian military helicopters were spotted by inhabitants of the border area.
Belarus denied the violation claims, with the defence ministry saying they were “made by the Polish military and political leadership to once again justify the build-up of forces and means near the Belarusian border”.
