Lithuania: Sends troops to Belarus border – Fears of mass influx of migrants |

Polish authorities today accused Belarus of trying to provoke a serious incident, as they posted videos on social media with hundreds of migrants heading to the Polish border.

At the same time, Lithuania announced that it was moving troops to its border with Belarus, while considering a state of emergency on the Belarusian border.

In a video posted on Twitter by the Belarusian opposition NEXTA, immigrants holding backpacks and wearing winter clothes are seen walking on the side of a highway.

Other videos show large groups of immigrants sitting on the street and accompanied by armed men dressed in khaki.

“Belarus wants to cause a serious incident, preferably with shootings and casualties. “According to press reports, they are preparing a major challenge near Kuznica Bialostocka, which will be an attempt to cross the border en masse,” Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Piort Wawrzyk told the Polish state radio station.

“Very worrying information from the border. A large group of migrants has gathered in Belarus, near the border with Poland. Heading to the border of the Republic of Poland. “They will try to enter Poland en masse,” Stanislav Zarin, head of the national security service of the prime minister’s office, said on Twitter.

Undersecretary of the Interior Maciej Vasik wrote on Twitter that “the Polish authorities are ready for any scenario.”

For her part, Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Milotet stressed that her country is moving troops to the border with Belarus to prepare for a possible influx of migrants.

At the same time, the Lithuanian government will consider whether to impose a state of emergency on the border with Belarus, she explained during a press conference.

Lithuanian authorities have refused to specify how many troops will be stationed at the border, as well as the exact locations where they will be deployed, citing security reasons.

The EU accuses Belarus of encouraging thousands of migrants from the Middle East and Africa to enter its territory, using them to avenge sanctions in Minsk for human rights abuses.

The European Union (EU), the United States and Britain have imposed sanctions on Belarus after President Alexander Lukashenko of Lukashenko violently cracked down on mass protests that erupted after his controversial election last year.

Mr Lukashenko has repeatedly denied the allegations in a statement issued Friday stating “Similar, baseless allegations concerning Russia’s foreign policy have been made more than once.

Belarus’ border guard service has issued a statement confirming that a large group of migrants is moving along the motorway to the Polish border, noting that Warsaw is adopting an “inhumane attitude”.

Charities complain about the inhumane conditions faced by migrants trying to cross the border into Belarus, in extremely low temperatures, with shortages of food, water and without medical care.

According to the Polish authorities, at least seven migrants have been found dead on the Polish side of the border, while unconfirmed information speaks of other dead in Belarus.

Humanitarian organizations accuse the ruling nationalist Law and Justice Party (PiS) of violating migrants’ right to asylum by sending them back to Belarus instead of accepting their applications. Poland insists its actions are legal.

Polish Prime Minister Matthew Morawiecki stressed on Facebook that “the Polish border is not just a line on the map. “The borders are sacred, Polish blood has been shed for them!”