Poland is escalating tensions with Russia’s closest ally, Belarus, after accusing the latter of violating its airspace with military helicopters. In response, Poland is hastily deploying troops to its eastern border to counter the alleged intrusion.
The Belarusian military has vehemently denied any violation, instead accusing Poland, a fervent supporter of Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, of fabricating the accusation to justify a troop buildup.
Adding to the tension, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko taunted Poland about the presence of Russian Wagner mercenaries near their shared border.
Poland’s Defence Ministry announced the deployment of “additional forces and resources, including combat helicopters,” and has informed NATO about the incident. In response to the accusation, Belarus’ charge d’affaires was summoned to provide an explanation.
Initially, the Polish military denied any border violation, but later, they acknowledged the intrusion “at a very low height, hard to intercept by radar” after further consultations.
In contrast, Belarus’ defence ministry dismissed Poland’s claims, stating that the incident was unsupported by data and considered it an “old wives’ tale.” They insisted that no border violations involving Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters had occurred.
Prior to the Defence Ministry’s statement, residents living near the eastern Polish city of Bialowieza, close to the Belarus border, shared accounts on social media, claiming to have witnessed the border violations.
The situation remains tense as both countries stand their ground amid the mounting accusations and troop movements along the border.
