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Poland to deploy more troops, helicopters to border with Belarus — Defense Ministry

The Minister of National Defense, head of the National Security and Defense Affairs Committee, Mariusz Blaszczak, ordered to increase the number of soldiers on the border

TASS, August 1. The Polish Ministry of National Defense has decided to send more military and attack helicopters to the border with Belarus after Belarusian helicopters violated the country's airspace, the ministry wrote on its website.

"The Minister of National Defense, head of the National Security and Defense Affairs Committee, Mariusz Blaszczak, ordered to increase the number of soldiers on the border and allocate additional forces and means, including attack helicopters," the report said.

According to the report, the Polish side informed NATO about the incident. The ministry said "the border was crossed in the area of Bialowieza at a very low altitude, which makes it difficult to detect it by radar systems." That is why, in its morning report, "the operational command claimed that the Polish radar systems had not recorded any violations of the airspace of the country," it explained.

Earlier, local residents near the Polish-Belarusian border drew attention to the overflight of Belarusian helicopters and expressed concern. In the morning, the operational command of the Polish Armed Forces said that it was a routine patrol, of which the Belarusian side had notified Warsaw in advance, and there had been no violation of the border.

Two Belarusian helicopters violated Poland’s airspace, the Polish foreign ministry said later on Tuesday, adding that following the incident it summoned Belarus’ charge d’affaires Alexander Chesnovsky.

"Following the violation of the Polish airspace by two Belarusian helicopters on August 1, 2023, the Polish foreign ministry immediately summoned the Belarusian charge d’affaires," it said.

The ministry said it had expressed a strong protest to the Belarusian diplomat and demanded that the Belarusian side explain in detail the circumstances of the incident. "The Polish side stressed that this incident is seen as yet another element of the escalation of tension on the Polish-Belarusian border. Poland expects Belarus to refrain from such actions," it added.

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