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Poland to send additional 2,000 troops to Belarus border

09 August 2023 15:30 (UTC +04:00)

Poland will send 2,000 troops to the Belarus border to support the Border Guard, its deputy interior minister has said, APA reports citing Sky News.

The announcement by Maciej Wasik comes after the country agreed to increase the number of soldiers following a request for reinforcements yesterday.

Concerns have been raised about potential military action from Belarus after it reportedly decided to conduct exercises in Suwalki Gap - much to the alarm of neighbouring Poland and Lithuania.

Belarusian officials confirmed a tank unit had been undergoing live fire tests at the Gozhsky firing range - barely 15km from the city of Grodno, which lies on the Belarus-Poland border.

Russian mercenary Wagner fighters have also been taking part in training drills near the border and there has been a suggestion the group is establishing a "tent city" 24km away from Belarus' southern border with Ukraine.

Western analysts have suggested Wagner is no threat to Poland, with former commander of the Joint Forces Command, General Sir Richard Barrons telling Sky News there isn't "any military capacity in Belarus that Poland is going to be worried about".

Last week, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Poland should "thank" him for preventing Wagner troops from entering the country and "smashing up cities".

Latvia and Lithuania are also joining Poland in strengthening their borders with Belarus.