Lithuania, Poland launch joint military drill in Suwałki Gap
April 21, Pozirk. The Lithuanian and Polish armed forces have launched the joint tactical exercise Brave Griffin in the Suwałki Gap area, the BNS news agency reported.
The news comes one month after the Belarusian leader’s made a statement suggesting that the area was particularly vulnerable to an attack from the east.
US and Portuguese units will also participate in the drill, which will last until April 26, lrt.lt said.
Lithuania will deploy 1,500 troops of the Žemaitija infantry brigade to practice, defensive scenarios in accordance with the Lithuanian-Polish Orša Plan, it said.
LRT reported that the Sword Strike exercise continues in Lithuania with US troops participating.
On March 26, while inspecting troops near the border with Lithuania, Alaksandar Łukašenka asked the commander of the Northwestern Operational Command how many kilometers separated them from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
“Forty-two kilometers,” Maj. Gen. Alaksandar Navumienka replied.
“That’s practically nothing,” said Łukašenka. “It’s wrong for them to behave like that. Now you would have to confront the Baltic republics.”
On March 29, the Lithuanian foreign ministry handed Belarusian Chargé d’Affaires Jarasłaŭ Chmyl a note of protest in connection with these remarks by Łukašenka.
Lithuania said he baselessly criticized the country as a military threat, suggesting that the Suwałki Gap was vulnerable and ordering the Belarusian army to prepare for possible confrontation with the Baltic States and Poland.
The Suwałki Gap is a narrow strip in Poland and Lithuania that some Western experts call a “weak link.” Its occupation by Belarusian and Russian forces would cut off the Baltics from the rest of the EU and connect Belarus’ Hrodna region with Kaliningrad.
Belarus has been conducting a comprehensive combat-readiness exercise involving thousands of reservists since March 11 in response to Steadfast Defender, NATO’s multi-domain exercise taking place from late January to the end of May.
Also read: Łukašenka, Putin deny plans to attack EU countries
- EconomyBelarus sixth in former Soviet Union’s price growthThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition leader at NATO PA: assistance to Belarus to make Europe saferThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsPundit: reconciliation trend gaining momentum within oppositionThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBrest doctor, five others declared political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja meets US senators, calls for an end to police cooperation with MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsRights group: wardens seek pardon requests from political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyDefense minister claims young people eager to serve in the armyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsReprisals: rights activist given seven years in prisonThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCzechia offers treatment, rehabilitation for Belarusian volunteer fighters in UkraineThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsPolish judge who defected to Belarus gets political asylum in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- Politics, SecurityAt least 20 servicemen in detention – rights activistsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsFive pardoned prisoners namedThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsJournalist Ihar Iljaš declared political prisonerThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka defends propaganda, threatens information warfareThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition leader visiting Canada, to address NATO PAThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- PoliticsŁukašenka boasts that he personally authorizes internet shutdownsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Elections, Politics
- PoliticsUS think tank: Russia to control Tor-M2 missile systems in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Elections, PoliticsŁukašenka’s supporter says he collected 100,000 ballot-access signatures for presidential raceThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: exiled former Kanapackaja’s associate given prison termThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyPublic sector employees to take on their laid-off colleagues' responsibilities for extra payThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyEconomist plays down fears of rubel collapseThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka goes to Pakistan next weekThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Elections, Politics, Security
- Economy, PoliticsPolish trade unionists protest against fertilizer imports from BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics