Poland's Minister of Defense, Mariusz Blaszczak, announced on July 28 that Poland is set to considerably bolster its military strength, citing concerns over the Wagner Group forces deployed within Belarus.
Blaszczak stated that he had signed a document increasing the number of active military personnel in Poland from 172,000 to 300,000, as reported by Russia's state-owned news agency, RIA Novosti, on July 28. Additionally, he mentioned earlier this month that he had directed some units stationed in the west to move to the eastern and northeastern regions close to the Belarus border.
In a press conference held in Gliwice on July 29, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki indicated that over 100 Wagner mercenaries had moved towards the Suwalki Corridor. The Suwalki Corridor is a narrow strip of land between Russia's exclave of Kaliningrad and Belarus, acting as the only overland connection between the Baltic states and the rest of the EU.
In response to Poland's frequent military purchases and strengthening of its armed forces, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently warned that any aggression towards Belarus would be considered as an attack on Russia itself. Putin also cautioned Poland about its alleged territorial aspirations towards Belarusian land.
The recent statements from Poland's defense minister demonstrate the country's commitment to increase its military spending to 4% of its GDP, up from its current level. The move is seen as a significant shift in Poland's security policy and comes amid increasing tensions with neighboring Belarus and Russia.
