Poland plans to strengthen its military presence on the borders with Russia and Belarus
Poland is strengthening its military presence and defense systems at its borders with the Russian enclave Kaliningrad and the eastern neighbor Belarus. The number of currently almost 6000 soldiers is to be increased to up to 17,000, General Wieslaw Kukula, the chief of the Polish Army's General Staff, announced on a Wednesday. According to him, 8000 soldiers are to be stationed there, while an additional 9000 can be quickly deployed as a border reaction force within 48 hours.
This measure aims to support border guards on site, deter possible "surprises" from Moscow and Minsk, protect and support the construction of crucial defensive infrastructure, Kukula explained. It's not just about Poland's security, "but also about that of the Baltic States," he added.
"Everyone is aware of the danger of the situation. I'm thinking of the war in Ukraine and what the Russian Federation is doing," said the Polish Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk to journalists. He pointed to the "constant provocations" at the border between Poland and Belarus, which forms the external border of the EU and NATO.
Instead of initially planned until 2032, the project goals are to be achieved already by 2028. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk recently announced that Warsaw would invest more than two billion Euros in securing its border with Russia and Belarus as part of the project. Since the beginning of the Russian war in Ukraine in February 2022, Poland and the Baltic States have been among the determined supporters of Ukraine.
Facing the Russian threat, Warsaw has initiated a rapid modernization of its army, increased its defense budget, and invested billions of dollars in military equipment, mainly from the USA and South Korea.
- The Russian enclave Kaliningrad and Poland's eastern neighbor, Belarus, share boundaries with Poland, which is reinforcing its military presence there due to concerns.
- General Wieslaw Kukula mentioned that Poland intends to increase its current forces of nearly 6000 soldiers near its borders with Russia and Belarus to up to 17,000, including 8000 stationed soldiers and an additional 9000 for rapid deployment.
- The Polish Deputy Defense Minister, Cezary Tomczyk, referred to the war in Ukraine and Russia's actions as a reminder of the prevailing danger, pointing to the "constant provocations" at the border between Poland and Belarus.
- Poland, along with the Baltic States, has been actively supporting Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian war in February 2022 and has been modernizing its army with substantial financial investments in military equipment from the USA and South Korea in response to the Russian threat.
