Russia Monitor is a review of the most important events related to Russian internal and external security, as well as its foreign policies.
Date: 27 October 2021
Lukashenko Threatens With Polish Tanks On Pretext Of Inviting Russian Troops
The Belarusian dictator claimed that Poland had moved tanks to the border as part of its response to thousands of illegal crossings in what he named as an excuse to “bring troops closer to the Belarusian borders.” This is ridiculous but a handy cover-up for Lukashenko to invite more Russian soldiers to Belarus.
What Lukashenko said alongside the narrative of the regime’s media outlets makes it clear that Minsk is using alleged Polish military efforts to build up Russian and Belarusian military potential on the country’s border with the North Atlantic Alliance. The Belarusian president said that the response could involve moving more of its own, and also Russian, forces to the border. He was speaking during a meeting with Russian prosecutor general Igor Krasnov. Belarusian state broadcaster Belarus 1 aired a TV program saying Poland had dispatched 700 troops and 58 pieces of military equipment to the region of Biała Podlaska off the Belarusian border. Journalists said the neighboring state would add much more than that. What Belarus used as a pretext for disseminating that kind of propaganda was that a group of 700 troops from the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade was being moved from western Poland to the region of Biała Podlaska for better border protection to stop illegal crossings by people on the Belarusian side. Using Polish tanks to threaten others will help Belarus tighten cooperation with Russia or make the former country fully reliant on its mighty neighbor in the area of security. At a meeting of top military officials in Moscow on October 20, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Shoygu spoke much about NATO’s alleged expansion on the borders of Russia and its allied states. The Russian top brass also mentioned the bloc’s intense military drills to improve logistics skills and rapid troops transfers eastwards. Addressing the meeting, Shoygu revealed a plan to adopt a joint Russian-Belarusian doctrine to counter threats from NATO and the West. More Russian forces will be sent to Belarus under the five-year strategic partnership agreement the two countries signed earlier this year. The scheme provides for establishing joint training centers in Russia and Belarus. In consequence, Belarus now hosts Russian missile troops and fighter jets patrolling the country’s border with NATO.
Support Us
If content prepared by Warsaw Institute team is useful for you, please support our actions. Donations from private persons are necessary for the continuation of our mission.
All texts published by the Warsaw Institute Foundation may be disseminated on the condition that their origin is credited. Images may not be used without permission.
Related posts
Warsaw Institute
