“Poland will soon increase its military presence in Latvia to strengthen the defense of frontline states in eastern NATO, Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz stated on Thursday during a televised speech, according to Bloomberg.
In June, Warsaw will increase the number of its stationed personnel in Latvia from 190 to 300 soldiers, the Minister announced, adding that the country will also send a “specialized unit” to protect against potential chemical warfare.
The Minister’s statement comes after the head of Russian intelligence, Sergei Naryshkin, once again threatened NATO countries on the eastern flank, stating that ” Poland and the Baltic states” would be the first to suffer. Naryshkin also claimed that Russia and Belarusian security services are prepared to act proactively, accusing Europe of escalating tensions regarding Ukraine.
The three Baltic states and Poland are among the strongest supporters of Kyiv within the NATO alliance. The repercussions of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine are strongly felt in the region, which shares borders with Russia and its ally Belarus, and has a history of tense relations with Moscow, Bloomberg notes.
Poland is already the country in NATO that spends the most of its GDP on defense, and this is evident in the way it has intensified its rearmament efforts. Last month, Poland and the Baltic states withdrew from a convention banning the use of anti-personnel mines in an attempt to better protect themselves against a potential Russian invasion.
As a participant in NATO’s “enhanced forward presence” in the Baltic states, Warsaw is sending a “clear signal” of Poland’s proactive role in ensuring the security of Eastern Europe, the Polish official added.”