MOSCOW: Russia has strongly condemned Poland’s decision to deploy a tank battalion on its border with Belarus. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov characterizing the deployment as “one more step to escalation.”
The statement comes in response to the announcement made by Polish National Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak on Saturday regarding the deployment.
Peskov, during a news conference in Moscow, emphasized the view that the move by Poland is contributing to an escalation of tensions in the region. He added, “Surely this is one more step to … escalation and nothing else.” Peskov suggested that Belarusian authorities are well aware of how to handle such situations to ensure the country’s security.
In another development, Peskov addressed claims of a “Ukrainian trace” in the 2022 Nord Stream gas pipeline sabotage in the Baltic Sea. He noted that Ukrainian involvement is increasingly being mentioned in various reports, investigations, and media publications related to the sabotage.
Moscow is urging investigators to make the results of their search public, including naming the culprits, contractors, and all involved parties.
Russia Welcomes Evacuation of Citizens from Gaza
On a different note, Peskov welcomed the evacuation of Russian citizens from the Gaza Strip, expressing gratitude to all parties involved in making it possible. He indicated that Moscow expects the exit process for Russian citizens from Gaza to continue, emphasizing the importance of facilitating the departure of all those willing to leave. Approximately 70 Russian citizens, including 28 children, departed from the Gaza Strip via the Egyptian Rafah border crossing on Sunday.
