Poland accuses Belarus of airspace violation; Lukashenko suggests mercenary attack on US forces.
A Pair of Belarusian Helicopters Violate Poland’s Airspace
During a scheduled training mission, two Belarusian helicopters were reported to have “violated” Poland’s airspace, according to Polish defense officials.
“An analysis of the situation has determined that Polish airspace was violated by two Belarusian helicopters conducting training near the border,” the Polish Defense Ministry said Tuesday. ”In response to the violation of the airspace of the Republic of Poland by two Belarusian helicopters on August 1, 2023, the charge d’affaires of the Belarusian embassy was immediately summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
Denial and Rising Tensions
Lukashenko’s regime denied the allegation, initially contradicting local reports. This dispute has led to rising tensions between Belarus and its NATO neighbors, just weeks after Lukashenko welcomed Russia’s paramilitary force, the Wagner Group, into Belarus.
“Poland expects Belarus to abstain from such activities,” the Polish Defense Ministry stated. “We remind you that Russia and Belarus have intensified their hybrid actions against Poland recently.”
Concerns about the Wagner Group
There is widespread concern about the potential threat posed by the Wagner Group, known for its effectiveness in the Russian defense system, to NATO members near Ukraine.
“Any attacks by the Wagner Group will be seen as an attack by the Russian Government,” warned Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who leads the U.S. mission to the United Nations.
Poland, in particular, is anxious about the presence of the Wagner Group. “The Wagner Group is bigger than the Lithuanian army,” said Maciej Wasik, the Polish Interior Ministry’s state secretary.
The Suwalki Gap and Lukashenko’s Response
Poland shares a border with Lithuania known as the Suwalki Gap, a strategically important stretch of ground separating Belarus from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. Lukashenko denied any involvement in the Suwalki Corridor and emphasized the importance of maintaining calm.
“Listen, the Suwalki Corridor is not in Belarus,” Lukashenko stated. “We don’t travel along this corridor or towards the corridor. We don’t need it absolutely. Keeping things calm is the most important thing.”
Lukashenko’s Role and Concerns
Lukashenko is perceived as having resisted Russian pressure to involve Belarusian forces in the war in Ukraine. However, he also made remarks about the Wagner Group’s desire to attack Rzeszow, the Polish border city hosting U.S. forces coordinating military aid deliveries to Ukraine.
“These guys are willing to fight… This is why [Polish officials] should pray that we keep them and supply somehow. Otherwise, they could have infiltrated Poland and could have delivered a terrible punch to Rzeszow and Warsaw. This is why they shouldn’t reproach me. They should thank me,” Lukashenko said.
U.S. officials express concern about the Wagner Group, viewing them as a threat under the control of the Russian Government.
“So we certainly worry that this group, at the behest of the Russian Government – because they do not work independently of the Russian Government – is a threat to all of us,” Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield emphasized.
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