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Poland reinforces eastern border after 'airspace violation'

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said 'the number of provocations will rise'
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said 'the number of provocations will rise'

Poland has said it would reinforce its eastern border surveillance, two days after two Belarusian military helicopters violated its airspace.

"Russia and Belarus are intensifying pressure on the border, increasing the number of provocations, and we must be aware that this number will increase," Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said.

"Today, Polish borders and the border of Lithuania are the borders of the free world, taming the despotism from the east," he added, as he hosted Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda in Suwalki, in the northeast of the country.

Mr Morawiecki also said that Warsaw had information about "some 4,000 Wagner fighters" currently based in the Belarusian territory.

Polish Minister of Defence Mariusz Blaszczak said more military helicopters had been deployed to reinforce the country's eastern border with Belarus.

"If it's justified, the soldiers will use their weapons," Mr Blaszczak added.

On Tuesday, two Belarusian helicopters violated Polish airspace at low altitude, their presence registered and shared in social media by the inhabitants of the border area.

Poland's army initially denied the violation took place, before confirming it in a statement issued later the same day.

Their initial response drew criticism from the opposition and triggered calls for the resignation of the defence minister.

NATO member Poland is on the alliance's eastern flank.

The Suwalki Gap is a strategically important area of Polish territory between Belarus and Kaliningrad

The politicians met in the Suwalki Gap, a sparsely populated but strategically important area of Polish territory between Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad that joins the Baltic states to other NATO members.

Mr Nauseda said the number of Wagner fighters in Belarus could be higher than 4,000.

"We must not only talk about measures at the national level but also ... what should be done if this situation becomes even more complicated, including the closure of the border with Belarus," Mr Nauseda said.

"This should be done in a coordinated manner between Poland, Lithuania and Latvia," he added.

Belarus allowed Russian President Vladimir Putin to use its territory as a launch pad for the Ukraine invasion, but has not committed its own troops to the war.


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