Poland to send more troops to border with Belarus; accuses Moscow, Minsk of ‘organising’ new migrant influx

The Polish defence ministry has agreed to send additional troops to the border with Belarus, reported the state-run news agency PAP on Tuesday (August 8), following a request from the border guard service. This also comes a day after Poland’s government accused Belarus and Russia of orchestrating another migration influx into the European Union (EU) via their border in order to destabilise the region.

Polish border guard asks for 1,000 more soldiers on border

Poland’s Deputy Interior Minister Maciej Wasik on Monday (August 7) said that the head of the Border Guard, Tomasz Praga, has asked the Polish defence ministry to send another 1,000 troops to the border with Belarus.

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This was after the border guard chief said that as many as 19,000 people had tried to cross the Polish-Belarusian border illegally just this year, which is up from 16,000 people in 2022. Poland’s defence ministry has since agreed to send additional troops.

ALSO READ |Poland rushes more troops to east after accusing Belarus of intrusion

“Due to the dynamic situation on the Polish-Belarusian border...the Minister of National Defence ordered that the request be implemented and that additional soldiers be assigned to patrol the Polish-Belarusian border,” the defence ministry was quoted as saying by PAP on Tuesday.

The request also comes weeks after Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that hundreds of soldiers from Russia’s Wagner mercenary group have moved closer to the Belarusian city of Grodno near the Polish border.

He also claimed that the fighters aim to destabilise the situation on NATO’s eastern flank. Poland has also built a face on the border with Belarus, equipped with electronic protection, as per Reuters.

Poland alleges Russia, Belarus organised new migrant influx

During a press conference, on Monday, Wasik also accused Belarus and Russia of organising another migrant influx at their border. “We’re talking about an operation organised by the Russian and Belarusian secret services that is getting more and more intense,” the Polish deputy interior ministry told reporters.

ALSO READ |Wagner fighters move closer to Poland border, could pose as migrants to enter EU, warns Polish PM

Meanwhile, Praga also said that the Belarusian services had become “a criminal group that is masterminding illegal migration”. He added, “Of course, they are making huge profits from it.”

Similar accusations were made against Belarus and its ally Russia starting in the summer of 2021 when tens of thousands of migrants and refugees crossed or attempted to cross into Poland from neighbouring Belarus.

At the time, the West had accused the Belarusian regime of organising a “hybrid” attack along with Russia, a type of warfare using non-military tactics. Minsk has denied doing so.

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos

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