The Ministry of Defense of Belarus has reinforced the composition of the air defense on duty in the western and northwestern sections of the border.
“Along the state border of Belarus, both in the western and northwestern directions, the Armed Forces of Belarus have increased the composition of the air defense forces on duty,” the ministry reported
Interaction of units and assets belonging to the Belarusian-Russian joint regional air defense system was practiced on 10 November upon the Belarusian Defense Ministry’s decision and with approval of the Russian Defense Ministry. Belarusian Air Force units and Russian ones took part in the drill.
Fighter jets belonging to the joint air defense system practiced interaction in the air. The patrolling of Belarus’ aerial border was arranged with assistance of two Russian Tu-22M3 aircraft. Interaction with ground control posts was practiced. The Russian Tu-22M3 aircraft landed at a Russian airfield at an estimated time checkpoint.
“Flights of strategic bombers used to be cyclical in the past. Starting 10 November they will become regular. These measures represent an adequate response to the evolving situation in the air and on the ground,” the Defense Ministry added.
Earlier, Minsk repeatedly opposed the activation of NATO in the eastern direction, an increase in the alliance’s grouping and military exercises near the Belarusian borders.
In November, the commander of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces, Igor Golub, announced a significant increase in the intensity of flights of military and reconnaissance foreign aircraft in the area.
In recent months, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland have reported an increase in the number of illegal immigrants from the Middle East and North Africa on the border with Belarus. In particular, according to the latest data, more than 30 thousand people illegally tried to enter Poland.
Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko noted that due to Western sanctions, Minsk has “neither money nor strength” to restrain the flow of people. The Balts blame Belarusians for creating the migration crisis, Minsk rejects all accusations.
On Monday, several thousand migrants in Belarus, including women and children, moved towards the Polish border. Once in front of the fence, they tried to explain that they had left their countries because of the danger to their lives.
Polish security forces do not let them through, periodically using tear gas. Refugees have set up camp and continue to try to overcome obstacles.
The Polish authorities stressed that this is “the largest so far attempt of mass penetration by force” into the country. Currently, there is a concentrations of migrants at the border posts, waiting in the hope of accessing the EU countries.
Poland and Lithuania introduced a state of emergency on the borders with Belarus and pulled troops there.
Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines denied reports that the airline transports illegal migrants on flights to Belarus, which appeared earlier in a number of media sources.
The press service of the airline stressed that the information in the media does not correspond to reality. “The company takes into account all aspects of safety and complies with international cooperation when operating flights around the world,” Anadolu news agency quoted Turkish Airlines as saying.
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