WARSAW, POLAND – In a news conference, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki raised concerns about over 100 mercenaries from the Russian-linked Wagner group, who have moved close to the border with Poland from Belarus. The mercenaries’ positioning near the Suwalki Gap, a crucial stretch of Polish territory between Belarus and Russian exclave Kaliningrad, has raised security fears for Poland, which is a member of both the European Union and NATO.
The arrival of Wagner group mercenaries in Belarus earlier this summer heightened tensions in the region. The Poland-Belarus border has been tense for several years due to an influx of immigrants from the Middle East and Africa attempting to enter the EU via Poland and Lithuania. Poland’s government accuses Russia and Belarus of using these migrants to destabilize EU countries, viewing it as a form of hybrid warfare. As a response, Poland has constructed a high wall along parts of its border with Belarus.
Prime Minister Morawiecki emphasized that the mercenaries’ proximity to the Polish border increases the potential for a hybrid attack on Polish territory. His concerns were voiced during a visit to a southern Polish arms factory where Ukrainian army Leopard tanks are undergoing repair. The situation remains delicate as the region grapples with geopolitical complexities and security challenges.