2023-07-24 13:35 update: 2023-07-25, 16:14
Pawel Jablonski. Photo PAP/Radek Pietruszka
The number of provocations ahead of Poland's upcoming parliamentary election is increasing, said a Polish deputy foreign minister reacting to comments made at a recent meeting between the Belarusian and Russian strongmen.
Poland is scheduled to hold the general elections this autumn.
Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted his close ally, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko in Saint Petersburg on Sunday.
The Reuters news agency, quoting the Belarusian leader after a Telegram channel linked to Lukashenko, reported that he jocularly said that "the Wagner guys have started to stress us - they want to go west."
"Let's go on a trip to Warsaw and Rzeszow," Lukashenko was quoted as saying.
Following a 24-hour mutiny against the Russian military launched on June 23, a group of Wagner mercenaries entered Belarus. Poland's security services have already confirmed their presence in that country.
According to Jablonski, the meeting of the two leaders was an example of more provocation aimed at evoking "emotions" in Poland. "We are basically sure today (...) that in a situation of particularly high political tension, and the election is such a period, the number of provocations is increasing."
He went on to say that the Polish government will not leave the situation without a reaction.
At the same time, Jablonski said that Poland was consistently strengthening its security. In this context, he pointed to further military units and other forces that have been moved to the border.
Asked whether the Wagner Group present in Belarus is a potential threat and whether any provocations are possible, he said that "of course there are threats, but we are safe, because we care about security."
The Polish government has recently decided to deploy 500 police officers to the Belarusian border to support the 5,000 border guards and 2,000 soldiers already present in that area. In the most recent move that angered Moscow, Poland decided to move some military formations from the west to the east of the country. (PAP)
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