Alexander Volfovich, State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus, has called Polish plans to deploy a new division near the borders with Belarus "an aggressive step".

"How can I comment on this? This cannot be considered in any way other than as an aggressive policy and unneighbourly disposition on Poland’s part not only towards Belarus, but also towards the Union State [Russia and Belarus] and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation in general," Belarusian state news agency BelTA quotes Volfovich.

Volfovich added that both Poland and the Baltic states "are focused on militarisation and increasing the military component" of an offensive, not a defensive nature, and this can only be regarded as a claim of "some aggression".

According to Volfovich, Belarus is monitoring what is going on near its borders.

"The recent decision by the presidents of Belarus and Russia to deploy a regional grouping of troops in Belarus indicates that we are taking steps primarily for strategic containment and to cool the heads of certain Western politicians," he said.

Mariusz Błaszczak, Poland’s Minister of National Defence, announced on 9 January that Poland is to create the 1st Infantry Division of the Polish Legions in the east of Poland. The division will be equipped with tanks purchased from South Korea and the US.

The formation of another division is part of a plan to strengthen the Polish army, particularly by increasing the number of soldiers. The Polish army is expected to increase from 164,000 to 300,000 men.