The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Poland has taken a firm stance against Belarus, formally objecting to the unauthorized entry of two Belarusian military helicopters into Polish airspace on Tuesday. Pawel Jablonski, the Deputy Foreign Minister, revealed that the Belarusian charge d’affaires was urgently summoned to the ministry on Tuesday evening to address the concerning incident.
During the meeting, Poland lodged a definite protest against the violation of its airspace and expressed deep concerns about the escalating activities against Ukraine. Jablonski stressed that Belarus’s involvement in the ongoing war was also a matter of grave concern. Furthermore, Poland raised alarm over the deteriorating security situation near its border, citing the presence of Russian mercenary group Wagner personnel and the increased frequency of attacks by organized groups of migrants.
The incident initially came to light on Tuesday morning when reports emerged of Belarusian helicopters flying over the Bialowieza area, near the Polish-Belarusian border. The low altitude of the aircraft posed a challenge for radar detection, according to Poland’s Ministry of National Defence.
Following the airspace breach, Poland’s defence minister convened a meeting of the Committee for National Security and Defence Affairs, resulting in the deployment of additional troops and combat helicopters along the border with Belarus. The situation was considered a provocative act by a deputy defence minister aimed at Poland and the eastern flank of NATO. The alliance’s headquarters was informed promptly about the incident.
Adding to the escalating tensions, Belarus has attempted to exert pressure on Poland by inviting thousands of African and Middle Eastern migrants and encouraging them to cross the border, falsely promising them easy access to the EU.
Polish-Belarusian relations have reached a historically low point since the contentious presidential election of 2020, won by Alexander Lukashenko, a result deemed as rigged by the West. The Lukashenko regime has subsequently targeted the Polish minority in Belarus, further straining diplomatic ties between the two countries.