2023-08-02 13:48 update: 2023-08-04, 12:51
Pawel Jablonski. Photo PAP/Radek Pietruszka
Poland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has formally informed the Belarusian charge d'affaires of Warsaw's objection to the unauthorised entry into Polish airspace of two Belarusian military helicopters on Tuesday, a deputy foreign minister has said.
Pawel Jablonski told the RMF FM private radio station on Wednesday that Belarus's charge d'affaires had been urgently summoned to the ministry on Tuesday evening.
"We related a definite protest in relation to the violation of airspace, but also at the escalation of activities against Ukraine, because Belarus is also an accomplice of that war," Jablonski said. "But also primarily about the deteriorating level of security by our border: the relocation of (Russian mercenary group - PAP) Wagner personnel, attacks by organised groups of migrants - this has unfortunately been going on the whole time. We object to it and will defend against it."
The flights of Belarusian helicopters over the Bialowieza area near the Polish-Belarusian border were first reported on Tuesday morning by RMF FM.
Poland's Ministry of National Defence said the aircraft had flown in at very low altitude, making radar detection difficult.
Following the breach, Poland's defence minister convened a sitting of the Committee for National Security and Defence Affairs, as a result of which troop numbers were increased along Poland's border with Belarus and additional assets deployed, including combat helicopters.
A deputy defence minister described the event on Wednesday morning as a "provocation" aimed at Poland and the eastern flank of Nato. The alliance's HQ was informed of the incident.
Belarus has tried to put pressure on Poland by inviting thousands of African and Middle Eastern migrants and encouraging them to cross the border into Poland under a false promise of easy access to the EU.
Polish-Belarusian relations have been at their lowest point in decades after the Alexander Lukashenko regime targeted the Polish minority in Belarus following a presidential election won by Lukashenko in 2020 that the West regards as rigged. (PAP)
ej/jd
