Poland plans to deploy 10,000 troops to its border with Belarus

By VANESSA GERA
Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s defense minister says the country intends to put 10,000 soldiers along its border with Belarus. His statement Thursday comes as Warsaw worries about the presence of Russian-linked mercenaries in Belarus and migrants trying to cross the border without authorization. For two years, Poland has contended with migrants arriving at the border from Belarus and trying to enter the country illegally. Anxieties were further heightened last week when two Belarusian military helicopters briefly entered Polish air space. Meanwhile, the Polish military says it is searching an area near the border for a fuse lost from one of its missiles during “intensive activities using specialized equipment to ensure security.”