The Reuters news agency reported on Thursday 20 July that the Belarusian army was training jointly with the Russia Wagner Mercenary Group at a training ground near Brest on the Polish border. Poland has taken decisive action in response to concerns over the presence of the Wagner mercenary group in neighboring Belarus.
Amid reports of joint exercises between Wagner and Belarusian soldiers near the border, Poland’s Defense Minister, Mariusz Blaszczak, has chosen to relocate military units to the eastern region of the country.
The consistent expansion of the Polish Army in the east is our response to the threats from Russia and Belarus. We have built up the 18th Mechanised Division, reinforced the 16th Mechanised Division and are creating the 1st Infantry Legion Division. We responded to the potential threat from the Wagner Group by moving additional military forces eastwards as part of Operation “Bezpieczne Podlasie” (English: ‘Safe Podlasie’). We take care of Poland’s security!
wrote Minister Błaszczak on Twitter
There are approximately 2,500-3,000 Wagner Group mercenaries in Belarus
The Polish government chose to relocate military formations from the western to the eastern part of the country.
This move comes as a precautionary measure to address potential risks posed by the mercenary group’s activities and to ensure the safety and security of Poland and its citizens.
The situation concerning the Wagner mercenary group remains closely monitored by Polish authorities.