Poland Accuses Belarus of Airspace Violation, Deploys Troops at Border

Tensions escalate between Poland and Belarus as Poland accuses its neighbor of violating its airspace. According to reports from CNN, two Belarusian helicopters allegedly crossed into Polish airspace during training exercises on Tuesday, prompting Poland to respond with increased military presence. The Polish Defence Ministry stated that while Minsk had notified Warsaw about the exercises, the border crossing occurred in the Bialowieza region at a dangerously low altitude, challenging radar detection.

This border area holds strategic importance as it is south of the Suwalki gap, a narrow land strip crucial to NATO, the EU, Russia, and Belarus. The Suwalki gap links the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad to Belarus and serves as the sole overland connection between the Baltic states and the rest of the EU.

In response to the incident, Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak ordered the deployment of more troops and combat helicopters along the border, as per the Ministry’s statement reported by CNN. Poland has also informed NATO about the situation, raising concerns over regional stability.