US AND Russia enter Europe’s border battle: America warns it is ‘looking at ways of dealing’ with Lukashenko and UK sends soldiers to Poland after Putin provokes West by deploying troops in Belarus and sending bombers over North Sea

  • Antony Blinken said Belarus is using migration as a weapon and said US is ‘looking at tools it has’ to respond
  • Kamala Harris condemned Lukashenko’s ‘troubling actions’ on the border and warned ‘world is watching’ 
  • But Belarus hit back, as defence minister said West is trying to ‘initiate conflict’ and he will ‘respond harshly’
  • Came after Belarus and Russia held military drills near border, with UK troops deployed to beef up defences
  • Russia also flew two nuclear-capable bombers close to the UK with RAF Typhoons deployed to escort them
  • US also warned that Russia is preparing to invade eastern Ukraine after building up forces along its border 

Chris Pleasance – Daily Mail Nov 12, 2021

America has warned it is ‘looking at the tools it has’ to deal with Belarus after a day of rapid-fire developments led to fears of war breaking out on Europe’s eastern border.

Migrants, mostly from Afghanistan and Iraq, try to storm Belarus Polish border recently. Click to enlarge

Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused dictator Alexander Lukashenko of using migration as a political weapon against the EU as Vice President Kamala Harris condemned his ‘very troubling actions’ on Poland’s border.

But defiant apparatchiks in Minsk hit back, as Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin accused western nations of trying to ‘initiate conflict’ using ‘ultimatums, threats and blackmail’ while vowing to ‘respond harshly to any attacks’.

It comes after Russia and Belarus held snap paratrooper drills just 20 miles from a border crossing where thousands of migrants are gathered, saying it was to ‘test the readiness’ of their troops, at the same time as two Russian bombers flew close to the UK – with RAF Typhoons scrambled to escort them.

A ‘small’ detachment of British troops, thought to be from Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers, were also deployed to the Polish border to help beef up the defences, the Ministry of Defence confirmed.

Separately, the US also warned that Putin could be preparing for an attack on eastern Ukraine after he was spotted massing thousands of troops, tanks and artillery pieces near the border. Ukraine’s defence minister accused Russia of waging ‘hybrid warfare’ on Europe, saying Putin is ultimately responsible for the Polish border crisis.

French ministers warned their Russian counterparts of ‘serious consequences’ if Ukraine is invaded and called on the Kremlin to re-open dialogue with Kiev.

But Kremin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed those allegations, saying that Russia ‘doesn’t threaten anyone’ while describing fears of an attack on Ukraine as a ‘hollow and unfounded attempt to incite tensions’.

Peskov also claimed that Russia needed to protect its security against ‘increasing provocations’ near its borders.

He pointed at the US naval deployment to the Black Sea and increasingly frequent US and NATO intelligence flights.

‘We take measures to ensure our security when our opponents take defiant action near our borders,’ Peskov said. ‘We can’t stay indifferent to that; we must be on our guard.’

Poland has moved 15,000 troops to its border to help manage the unfolding crisis, while Ukraine has deployed 8,500 soldiers to the eastern border region where it has been fighting a years-long war with Russian-backed separatist rebels.

Elsewhere today:

  • The EU said it is alarmed by Russian military activities close to Ukraine, is watching the situation closely and ‘looking at further steps’ along with the United States and Britain
  • Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia is waging ‘hybrid warfare’ on Europe using migrants
  • Kamala Harris said ‘eyes of the world’ are on situation at Belarus-Poland border and US is watching ‘closely’
  • US and European delegations accused Minsk of endangering lives for political ends at UN Security Council
  • Former UK defence minister Tobias Ellwood called Russia’s moves ‘deeply concerning’ and a ‘test of resolve’
  • Turkey barred citizens from Iraq, Syrian and Yemen from flying to Belarus amid fears they will head to border

Belarus-Poland border infographic. Click to enlarge

Russia’s defence ministry said the unannounced drill involved paratroopers from both countries dropping at the Gozhsky range, just 20 miles from where thousands of migrants are gathered at the Polish border, where they practiced capturing bridges as well as hunting down and destroying enemy patrols.

Belarus said the drill was in response to the ‘build-up of military activity’ at the Polish border, where 15,000 troops have been stationed to hold back the migrants, while Russia said it was to test the ‘combat readiness’ of its troops.

At the same time, Polish defence minister Mariusz Błaszczak revealed that British military engineers have been deployed to help strengthen the border defences, amid warnings from all sides that the crisis risks spilling over into an armed conflict. The MoD confirmed a ‘small team’ has been sent to provide engineering support.

The troops are likely from the light cavalry squadron that the UK currently has stationed in Poland as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence, which includes soldiers from the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers.

 

 

Continues …