Politicians in Poland said that they may close Belarus’ borders with the European Union in case of an incident involving the Russian Wagner paramilitary group.
The announcement comes following Wagner mercenaries moving to Belarus after their failed revolt last month.
In addition, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently threw accusations towards Poland, wanting to attack Belarus as well as annexe western Ukraine.
Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania may jointly decide to close their borders to Belarus in case of “serious incidents involving the Wagner Group” along these countries’ borders with Belarus.
Poland’s Prime Minister, Minister Mateusz, recently said that a group of Wagner mercenaries in Belarus moved closer to the Polish border and may stage a hybrid attack inside this country by posing as illegal migrants.
In a press conference in southern Poland, PM said that over 100 mercenaries had moved close to the city of Grodno, near the Suwalki Gap, a narrow strategic stretch of Poland and Lithuanian territory that separates Belarus from Kaliningrad in Russia.
“They will probably be disguised as Belarusian border guards and will help illegal immigrants to enter Polish territory, destabilise Poland,” Morawiecki pointed out, based on a report from Polish public broadcaster TVP.
According to him, the Wagner members would also attempt to infiltrate Poland, pretending to be unlawful immigrants, adding that the situation had become more dangerous.
Interior Minister Kaminski said in reaction to this recent development that if incidents involving the Wagner mercenary group should incur along the volatile borders of Poland, Lithuania or Latvia with Belarus, stressing that “we undoubtedly will take action together.”
“I do not exclude that if we decide that this is the right answer at the moment, it will lead to the complete isolation of Belarus,” Kaminski pointed out.
Authorities in Poland began to tighten their security at their country’s border, sending a total of 500 police forces and 5,000 border guards and 2,000 soldiers to its eastern border earlier this month.
Besides in addition to Interior Minister Kaminski, Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski and Minister of Defense Mariusz Błaszczak also visited the border area on Thursday.
“This is why Polish troops are present in our country’s east; this is why new army units are being formed in its east … to prevent Russia from deciding to enter Poland,” said Blaszczak while visiting the border village of Polowce.
Besides, Blaszczak emphasised that Poland would do everything to repeal provocations or aggression easily.
