In response to escalating tensions caused by the presence of the Russian Wagner mercenary group in Belarus, Poland has decided to send additional police forces to its border with Belarus, aiming to strengthen security measures.
Mariusz Kamiński, the interior minister, announced on Sunday, “Given the tense situation on the border with Belarus, I have made the decision to reinforce our forces by deploying 500 policemen from our prevention and anti-terrorist units.”
Kamiński further stated on Twitter that the police personnel would join the existing contingent of 5,000 border guards and 2,000 soldiers already stationed along the Polish border, dedicated to safeguarding its security.
Last week, Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of Poland’s governing Law and Justice (PiS) party, emphasized that Poland was taking steps to enhance its defences in the eastern region due to the presence of the Wagner group in Belarus.
The Wagner Group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian mercenary organization, recently caused a 24-hour mutiny against Russian military commanders. The crisis concluded when Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko agreed to mediate between Prigozhin and Russian President Vladimir Putin, resulting in Prigozhin and his troops finding refuge in Belarus.
A Polish deputy foreign minister, Wojciech Skurkiewicz, expressed concerns about potential provocations by the Wagner group in Belarus, especially in the lead-up to the July NATO summit in Vilnius.
Skurkiewicz warned on Polish Radio last Friday that hostile operations by the Wagner group against Ukraine, and potentially Poland and Lithuania, could be expected to originate from Belarusian territory.