Wagner ‘able to unfold terror’ alongside NATO border from bases in Belarus

Wagner Group fighters and army gear have flooded into Belarus following the mercenary group’s short-lived mutiny. The sudden inflow of Prigozhin’s mercenaries has sparked considerations that the group could possibly be used to reignite border clashes between Belarus and Poland.

Belarusian chief Alexander Lukashenko has already been accused of finishing up a textbook “hybrid warfare operation” by ordering Belarus border guards to direct migrants to the Polish border.

Leading regional safety knowledgeable Jacek Raubo has warned that the introduction of Wagner could present Russia and Belarus with the duvet wanted to hold out clandestine operations designed to destabilise Poland, a NATO member and main backer of Ukraine.

Dr Raubo instructed Express.co.uk that the current NATO summit in Lithuania might need introduced a tempting goal for the mercenary group if not for the power of Western forces gathered to safe the gathering in Vilnius.

However, he advised that Poland’s upcoming elections might present Belarus, Russia and Wagner with one other alternative to undermine NATO whereas sustaining the cloak of believable deniability.

Dr Raubo instructed Express Online: “A different situation may take place already in September and October due to the expected elections in Poland. Especially since the issue of security, including border security, is an important element of the political dispute in Poland.

“First of all, sadly, the potential for tried acts of violence and acts of terrorism involving the Wagner Group, or individuals impersonating them, have to be assumed.

“This may concern, for example, attempts to fire at Polish border guards, soldiers or policemen.

“Unfortunately, mine traps or planting well-known IEDs to assault border patrol autos, together with armoured MRAPs, will also be thought of.

“Note that in any such case, the authorities of Belarus and Russia can dissociate themselves from the assaults, claiming that the members of the Wagner Group have ‘gone once more’ in mutiny.

“Moreover, makes an attempt by mercenaries to command border assaults with new teams of unlawful immigrants could be anticipated. Especially, once we are speaking in regards to the coordination of makes an attempt to drive a crossing with doable violence in opposition to border guards. As effectively because the destruction of the infrastructure defending and monitoring the border.”

He points out that many Wagner mercenaries have operated in Africa and the Middle East, where they have conducted “very brutal pacification actions and dedicated crimes on behalf of native regimes.”

Hence, Dr Raubo stressed Prigozhin’s men are more than capable of carrying out similar actions against illegal immigrants gathered in Belarus, aiming to direct their aggression towards Polish officers and soldiers.

He told Express.co.uk: “In addition, a few of them commanded convicts as a part of the struggle in Ukraine and have expertise in rapidly coaching and coaching folks for fight.”

Poland has already taken steps to increase security along the border with Belarus.

Shortly after the stationing of Wagner forces on Belarus soil became known, Warsaw announced the deployment of 1,000 soldiers to the country’s eastern border.

Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak wrote on Twitter: “Over 1,000 troopers and nearly 200 items of kit from the twelfth and seventeenth Mechanized Brigades are beginning to transfer to the east of the nation.

“This is a demonstration of our readiness to respond to attempts at destabilisation near the border of our country.”