 Poland says it's ready to respond appropriately to potential threats from Belarus. Poland is ready to respond appropriately to potential threats from Belarus. Polish Deputy Defence Minister Wojciech Skakowicz said, commenting on alleged violations of Warsaw's airspace by Belarusian military helicopters, the senior defence official said, we do realise who our enemy on the eastern border is. If such situations continue to take place and there is an escalation of tensions, then our actions will retaliate appropriately to the potential threats. Skakowicz called the situation with helicopters a provocation aimed at Poland and NATO. The senior defence official also noted that on August 1st, Warsaw's armed forces received instructions to deploy additional units and military helicopters on the eastern border. On August 1st, the Polish government said that two Belarusian helicopters had crossed over into Poland's airspace near BIO Wiecie. After that, the Polish Foreign Ministry summoned the Belarusian interim charge d'affaires in Warsaw. According to the Polish Defence Ministry, Poland duly informed NATO about the incident. Meanwhile, in Minsk, the Belarusian Defence Ministry characterised the Polish accusations that Belarusian Air Force MI-8 and MI-24 helicopters and air defence troops had violated the border as far-fetched. According to Minsk, the charges served merely as another pretext for the Polish leadership to ramp up the movement of military personnel and equipment to Poland's border zone with Belarus.