Detailed information provided by the Belarusian defense ministry to Poland has confirmed that two Belarusian military helicopters did not cross into Polish airspace on August 1. In a statement, the ministry stated that they had prepared and presented detailed data on aircraft flights to both Belarus and Poland. The objective control data confirmed that there were no grounds for accusing them of violating the state border.
According to the Belarusian Defense Ministry, the Mi-24 and Mi-8 helicopters flew at an altitude of 150-200 meters and their flight path remained at a distance of 1,900 meters from the border. The ministry also presented evidence of a Polish Mi-2 helicopter coming within 200 meters of the border with Belarus on the same day, using monitoring data from radar stations.
Furthermore, the ministry highlighted that Belarusian pilots maintained constant communication with the Polish Air Force during their flights and received no complaints at the time. They emphasized that any provocations in a situation where both sides can unambiguously monitor aircraft movement would be logically illogical.
In response to the incident, the Polish government summoned the Belarusian charge d’affaires in Warsaw on Tuesday. They expressed a strong protest and demanded a detailed explanation of the incident. However, Minsk reiterated that no violation of Polish airspace had occurred and dismissed the claims as the equivalent of a grandmother’s tale due to a lack of evidence.
The Polish military initially reported that the helicopters had not crossed the border but later changed their statement, citing the unavailability of radar data because of the low altitude at which the aircraft were flying.
Regarding the incident, the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has not yet reached out to his Polish counterpart. The State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, clarified that Washington is in constant communication with Warsaw but also stated that NATO’s mutual defense mechanism has not been invoked at this point.
In recent news, Poland announced an increase in the size of its military from 170,000 to 300,000. This decision was made in response to the presence of Russian fighters from the Wagner Group in Belarus. Some fighters relocated to Belarus after a failed mutiny at the end of June. Polish Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, expressed concerns about the alleged presence of “more than a hundred” Wagnerites near the border and described it as an upcoming hybrid attack on Polish territory.
Belarusian President, Alexander Lukashenko, dismissed these claims and accused Poland of going mad over rumors about the Wagner Group, asserting that there is no actual threat.
The incident involving the Belarusian military helicopters and the subsequent exchange between Poland and Belarus highlights the ongoing tensions in the region. Both sides are presenting their versions of events, with Belarus denying any violation of Polish airspace and Poland expressing concern about potential threats. The situation remains a subject of international attention, as the United States and other NATO countries continue to closely monitor developments.
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