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Metropolis Desk-
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, has charged Poland with having territorial aspirations within the former Soviet Union and stated that any aggression against Belarus, Belarus’ neighbor and friend, would be viewed as an attack on Russia.
Putin stated in broadcast remarks on Friday that Moscow will use all available tools to defend Belarus, which forms a loose Union State with Russia, from any aggression.
According to Putin, there have been rumors of plans for a Polish-Lithuanian force to conduct operations and eventually capture territory in western Ukraine, which once included the area that belonged to Poland.
But Belarus is a part of the Union State in that regard. Putin remarked during a meeting of the Security Council of the Kremlin that launching aggression against Belarus would also imply launching aggression against the Russian Federation.
“We will use every tool at our disposal to respond to this.”
He said, again without offering any proof, “It is well known that they also dream of the Belarusian lands.”
Poland, a member of NATO and one of Ukraine’s most steadfast friends in the country’s struggle against Russia’s invasion denied having territorial aspirations in either Belarus or Ukraine.
Stanislaw Zaryn, Poland’s deputy minister coordinator of special services, told the state-run PAP news agency that “the pathetic bore from the Kremlin is once again repeating lies about Poland and also trying to falsify the truth about the war against Ukraine.”
“Vladimir Putin is also using historical revisionism once more to spread false accusations against Poland.”
In his remarks, Vladimir Putin said that the western portions of Poland were a “gift” from former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.
“Poland acquired substantial territory in the West—German land—thanks to the Soviet Union and Stalin’s actions. This is true, stated Putin. “Stalin’s gift to Poland was the western Polish regions. Have our Warsaw-based pals forgotten about it? We’ll remind them again.
According to Nina Khrushcheva, professor of international affairs at the New School and great-granddaughter of former Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, Putin’s remarks send the message that Poland should be thankful to the Soviet Union and Russia, not an enemy.
Additionally, this is a warning to the Ukrainians: ‘Please keep in mind that Poland and Ukraine have not always been close, and as a result, you are being deceived.’ Therefore, the Kremlin is sending a multifaceted propaganda message, she told Al Jazeera from Moscow.
After a failed mutiny in Russia last month, soldiers from the Wagner mercenary army traveled to Poland’s border with Belarus, where Poland has strengthened its defenses.
Following the arrival of Wagner fighters in Belarus, Warsaw’s Security Committee resolved on Wednesday to transfer military forces to eastern Poland, according to PAP’s Friday report.
In a video released on Wednesday, Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin welcomed his warriors to Belarus and instructed them to build up their strength for Wagner’s operations in Africa while training the Belarusian army. He also instructed them to stop participating in the battle in Ukraine for the time being.
Four weeks ago, Prigozhin’s brief uprising concluded with a deal allowing Wagner fighters—many of whom were enlisted from prison—to relocate to Belarus if they so choose.
Wagner mercenaries, according to Minsk, began training Belarusian special forces on a military range not far from the Polish border on Thursday.
Poland retaliated by stationing soldiers close to its eastern border.
As seasoned war criminal, Radoslaw Sikorski, a former Polish defense minister, told Al Jazeera, “Any Polish government would be concerned.” Any government’s primary responsibility is to safeguard its exterior borders, as well as the citizens on its side.
Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Poland has given Kyiv weapons and opened its doors to refugees.
But it hasn’t indicated that it would send soldiers to Ukraine.
Its authorities, according to Putin, were attempting to “directly intervene in the conflict” by annexing Ukrainian territory. Belarus, which borders Poland, Lithuania, the European Union, and Ukraine, served as the starting point for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Poland, according to Khrushcheva, has become a topic of discussion in the Kremlin because of Belarus, the Wagner Group, Poland’s deployment of troops near Belarus’ border, and its possible desire to transport some of NATO’s nuclear armament there.
Source- Al Jazeera
