Belarus: Build up of troops on Polish border discussed by expert
Poland “hates Russia and is gagging for a fight” which has fuelled fears over the possibility of World War 3, a defence and military expert has warned.
Tensions have been increasingly strained following Russia’s invasion of Georgia in 2008, the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and most recently, Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Poland has hit Russia with crippling sanctions, while Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on Twitter early in the Ukraine war: “We must immediately respond to Russia’s criminal aggression on Ukraine Europe and the free world has to stop Putin.”
Vladimir Putin recently exiled thousands of Wagner Group mercenary fighters into Belarus, fuelling concerns about destabilisation across eastern and central Europe and a possible invasion of NATO member Poland.
Nicholas Drummond, a former British Army officer who is now a defence industry analyst and consultant specialising in land warfare, warned any aggression from Poland could potentially spark World War III.
When discussing the three scenarios that would require NATO to intervene in the Russia-Ukraine war, he told Daily Express US: “Firstly, if Russia decides to launch an attack through Belarus via the Wagner Group into Poland.
“The Poles really hate the Russians and are gagging for a fight. We now have to be extremely careful that they don’t trigger World War III.”
But Drummond warned NATO “has to be prepared and vigilant, but we’re not and that is a worry”.
He added: “The second scenario for NATO intervention is the Russian economy collapses, there is a humanitarian crisis, there are riots that trigger a revolution and suddenly there are warlords vying for control of Russia’s vast nuclear arsenal.
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“NATO would have to wade in there as you wouldn’t be able to have certain people with their fingers on the nuclear trigger because they are not rational individuals.
“Finally, will China re-arm Russia? It might be in their interests to do that, and it would be easy for them to give Russia massive resources.
“China could give Russia 1,000 tanks tomorrow and that would be a huge uplift in their capability. There could be a mix of these scenarios so it’s still far from certain
“NATO has to be prepared, has to be vigilant, but we’re not and that’s a worry.”
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The comments come after a Russian lawmaker issued a chilling warning to Poland amid surging tensions on its Belarusian border.
Andrey Gurulyov, a member of Russia’s state Duma and former military commander, has warned Poland against positioning troops close to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, urging Russia to take a hardline stance if such a move materializes.
He also claimed Polish authorities want to seize control of parts of Ukraine, but didn’t provide any evidence to back this up.
Gurulyov warned during an appearance on Russian state television: The message is very clear. ‘Guys, if God forbid you go anywhere in the direction of our Kaliningrad region, everything will end badly for you.’ This is probably the way it should be.”
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