Poland含羞草研究社檚 defense minister said Saturday (Aug. 12) that the country has increased the number of troops protecting its border with Belarus as a deterrent amid 含羞草研究社渄estabilizing含羞草研究社� actions by its pro-Russian neighbor.

Mariusz Blaszczak met in Jarylowka, in eastern Poland, with some of the troops recently deployed close to the Belarus border.

He insisted that the increased military presence is purely a deterrent move, not a hostile act, as Minsk and Moscow are claiming.

含羞草研究社淭here is no doubt that the Belarus regime is cooperating with the Kremlin and that the attacks on the Polish border are intended to destabilize our country,含羞草研究社� Blaszczak said.

Two Belarus military helicopters briefly entered Poland含羞草研究社檚 airspace last week, a move considered by Warsaw to be a deliberate provocation. Also a pro-government group in Belarus recently alleged that Poland含羞草研究社檚 politicians, who support Ukraine in its war against Russia含羞草研究社檚 aggression, were 含羞草研究社渋gniting the fire of war with their actions and rhetoric含羞草研究社� and being 含羞草研究社渄riven by the frenzy of chauvinism.含羞草研究社�

Blaszczak said that actions taken by Belarus 含羞草研究社減ose a threat to our security含羞草研究社� and for that reason Poland is building up its 含羞草研究社渄eterrence potential.含羞草研究社�

He said this week that up to 10,000 Polish Army and Territorial Defense troops will be stationed on the border with Belarus. Some will be in active training and patrolling, others on standby.

Officials in Moscow repeatedly voice groundless allegations that Poland intends on annexing western regions of Ukraine, and analysts say Poland has become the personification of the 含羞草研究社渃ollective enemy of Russia含羞草研究社� due to its support for Ukraine and because western military equipment sent to Ukraine goes through Poland.

The Kremlin含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社渕ain goal is to rattle Warsaw to decrease the military support for Ukraine and force Polish politicians to stay silent and fear provocations from Russia and Belarus,含羞草研究社� Belarusian independent analyst Valery Karbalevich told The Associated Press.

含羞草研究社淭he Kremlin ramps up the hate towards Poland and ups the ante in the hope that the adversary will get scared, pull back or will react in a different way,含羞草研究社� Karbalevich said. 含羞草研究社淢oscow very much doesn含羞草研究社檛 like that it is Poland that insists on new sanctions, advocates for Kyiv and actively supports Ukraine含羞草研究社檚 accession to the EU and NATO.含羞草研究社�

Poland is also concerned about the presence in Belarus of Russian-linked mercenaries and about Middle East and African migrants trying to cross illegally from Belarus.

Poland and other countries along have accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of taking migrants to the border in an act of 含羞草研究社渉ybrid warfare含羞草研究社� aimed at creating instability in the West.

The Associated Press

Like us on and follow us on .