In a recent interview with US TV broadcaster CNN, Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski expressed significant concerns regarding potential attempts by Belarus to breach the Polish border and create instability in the lead-up to upcoming elections. Highlighting the mounting tensions, Jablonski acknowledged that the perceived threat is indeed substantial.
The alarm has been raised amidst reports of Belarusian training helicopters violating Polish airspace and the presence of the Russia-linked Wagner Group of mercenaries moving in the direction of the Polish border. Jablonski noted that while these smaller contingents, including members of the Wagner Group, may not be immediately gearing up for a large-scale invasion, they are anticipated to engage in repeated efforts to infiltrate Polish territory, including border attacks and the potential exploitation of illegal migrants.
Jablonski also highlighted the ongoing strategy of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s regime, which involves transporting groups of migrants from the Middle East to Belarus and directing them toward the borders with Poland and the Baltic states. This pattern, he suggested, serves as a method to sow instability within Poland, particularly with the forthcoming elections in mind.
The Polish Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, recently held discussions with Lithuanian Prime Minister Gitanas Nauseda along the Polish-Lithuanian border. The meeting took place in the Suwalki Gap, a significant location that separates the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad from Belarus. The leaders deliberated on the presence of Russian mercenaries in Belarus and contemplated potential responses, including the closure of border crossings and the isolation of the Lukashenko regime. Morawiecki revealed that out of the approximately 4,000 Wagner mercenaries reportedly situated in Belarus, more than 100 have been observed moving closer to the Suwalki Gap.