Title: Putin Accuses Poland of Territorial Ambitions in Former Soviet Union
Date: July 21, 2023
MOSCOW – In a televised meeting of his Security Council on Friday, President Vladimir Putin accused NATO member Poland of harboring territorial ambitions in the former Soviet Union. He warned that any aggression against Russia’s neighbor and close ally Belarus would be considered an attack on Russia.
Putin emphasized that Moscow would respond to any aggression against Belarus, which forms a loose “Union State” with Russia, using all means at its disposal. The statement comes after the Polish Security Committee’s decision on Wednesday to move military units to eastern Poland following the arrival of Russian Wagner mercenaries in Belarus.
However, Poland denies any territorial ambitions in Belarus. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki responded to Putin’s statement on Twitter, calling Stalin a war criminal responsible for the death of hundreds of thousands of Poles and stating that historical truth is not debatable. The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced that the Russian Federation’s ambassador will be summoned as a response to Putin’s remarks.
Belarus recently confirmed the presence of Wagner mercenaries training Belarusian special forces near the Polish border. In response to such developments, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that Germany and NATO are prepared to support Poland in defending the military alliance’s eastern flank.
Additionally, Putin claimed that there were press reports of plans for a Polish-Lithuanian unit to be deployed in western Ukraine, including the occupation of territory previously belonging to Poland. While the Russian President did not provide any evidence for his statement, he suggested that Poland harbors territorial dreams regarding Belarusian lands.
In a separate development, it was revealed that Russia has begun stationing tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus for the first time. The Kremlin announced that President Putin will meet with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Russia on Sunday.
The actions of the Wagner mercenaries have drawn attention. Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was recently seen in a video welcoming fighters to Belarus, indicating that they would not participate in the war in Ukraine for now but would train the Belarusian army while preparing for future operations in Africa. Prigozhin referred to Wagner as Russia’s most effective fighting force.
It is worth noting that Prigozhin’s strained relationship with the Moscow defense establishment led to an armed mutiny four weeks ago. Wagner fighters, including many recruited from prison, were eventually allowed to move to Belarus as part of a resolution to the insurrection.
As tensions escalate in the region, the international community closely watches the situation. The uncertainties surrounding territorial claims, the presence of mercenaries, and the stationing of nuclear weapons underscore the delicate situation between Russia, Poland, and Belarus.
Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Kevin Liffey; Editing by William Maclean and Grant McCool
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