Poland to Bolster Border with Belarus, Deploying 10,000 Troops

Polish Minister of National Defense, Mariusz Blaszczak, has announced plans to reinforce the border with Belarus.

“Approximately 10,000 soldiers will be involved - 4,000 personnel will directly engage in operations supporting the Border Guard at the border, while 6,000 individuals will serve in reserve.” The Polish publication “Rzeczpospolita” quoted Blaszczak as saying on Thursday, Aug. 10.

The troops will undergo extra training at garrisons in eastern Poland, Blaszczak said.

The decision to increase its troop presence at the Belarusian border follows a breach of Polish airspace by two Belarusian combat helicopters on Aug. 1, a breach reported by the Polish Ministry of Defense.

Furthermore, on Monday, Aug. 7, reports emerged that Belarus had commenced military exercises near its borders with Poland and Lithuania.

Later on Thursday, Deputy Head of the Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs, Maciej Wonsik, said that the country might consider closing all border crossings with Belarus, including railway connections, should provocations by self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's regime persist.

When questioned by reporters whether this entailed simultaneous closure of the entire Belarusian border by Poland and Lithuania, the deputy minister affirmed the possibility.

“If Belarus continues to escalate matters and these provocations intensify, then a collective response is necessary - and I hope Latvia will also join in. Lithuanians should engage with Latvians on this matter - aiming for comprehensive isolation of Belarus,” Wonsik said.

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He said that discussions were ongoing about the closure of railway crossings.

“We acknowledge that a significant portion of trade, including Polish and Chinese trade, relies on these routes. I believe the Chinese will need to signal to Lukashenko the importance of avoiding actions that could harm their interests,” he said.