According to Polish President Andrzej Duda, intensive hybrid attacks directed against Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and recently against Finland have been observed for three years.
“Therefore, it is extremely important that the exercises teach how to defend a very sensitive region, the Suwalki Corridor. We feel the pressure, the joint exercises show how important the cooperation of the border services with the military forces would be, since hybrid attacks are carried out on the borders of both countries”, A. Duda said at the end of the exercises of both countries.
A. Duda: we have to demonstrate preparation
According to the Polish leader, it is also important to demonstrate the readiness of NATO allies to counter possible attacks and to implement a policy of deterrence.
“There is a potential threat, which is why these exercises were prepared and carried out. It is very important that a potential aggressor sees our readiness, that we have the capacity, consensus, will and that, according to the fifth article of the NATO treaty, if any country faces a real threat, they see that the allies are ready to defend the countries,” said the Polish president.
He added that he “highly doubts that the Suwalki Corridor is the most dangerous place on Earth” and named Ukraine or the Gaza Strip in the Middle East as more dangerous.
“It is very important for us in Poland that the exercises involved training how the transfer of both soldiers and equipment from the territory of Poland to the territory of Lithuania would be carried out by the Polish military unit – the 15th mechanized brigade. In the event of a threat, it should happen very quickly, and now it was a great exercise in how it was executed,” added A. Duda.
G. Nausėda: the exercises show closeness with Poland and strength
For his part, G. Nausėda noted that the tactical exercises of Lithuanians, Poles and other allies, which include various types of troops, which are intended to defend a certain section of the territory, took place very smoothly.
“They demonstrated the readiness of not only Poland and Lithuania, but also the USA and Portugal to work together, interact and achieve optimal results,” said G. Nausėda.
According to him, joint exercises between Lithuania and Poland are intended to prepare for the defense of the Suwalki corridor, and this strategic location “is being given special attention”.
“This just demonstrates once again how close our countries are, how close and strong allies we are and how our cooperation in various areas of life is increasingly moving into the field of military cooperation,” said the Lithuanian leader.
On Friday, he and A. Duda watched the “Narsus Grifonas 24/II” (Brave Griffin 24/II) military exercise taking place in the Suwalki corridor, Alytus district. Presidents, military commanders observed the training on their last day.
Allies from the United States of America (USA) and Portugal are also participating in the exercise.
According to the army, during the training, 1.5 thousand brigade “Žemaitija” and allied soldiers and 200 units of military equipment tested defense scenarios in the Suwalki corridor according to the bilateral “Orsha Plan” of Lithuania and Poland.
This plan was prepared by the commanders of the Lithuanian and Polish armies in 2022, most of it is classified.
The Suwalki Corridor is the approximately 100-kilometer-wide section of the border between Lithuania and Poland, which borders the Kaliningrad region from the west and Belarus from the east.
Tags: presidents Lithuania Poland agree importance deterrence Suwalki corridor
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