Anakonda prompts Moscow to review its military capabilities: Polish Defence Minister

“Nearly every day we see Russia’s military presence being strengthened in the country’s Western Military District,” Macierewicz said in an interview for state broadcaster TVP Info on Wednesday.

On the same day, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that up to 2,000 new weapons units will be deployed on Russia’s western borders. Shoigu said the move was being taken in response to NATO’s buildup on its eastern flank. Also, this week, Shoigu dismissed Baltic Fleet Commander Viktor Kravchuk alongside other high-ranking officials, citing “a breach of duties”.

“Anakonda has served its purpose of deterring the Russians and prompting them to reassess their [military] capabilities,” Macierewicz said.

Minister Macierewicz also commented on the French and German ministers’ recent proposal to create what has been called a ‘European superstate’. “This document gives the impression of hectic moves by the foreign ministers of France and Germany. Half of the document is devoted to the military and defence,” Macierewicz said.

“All the focus is placed on Europe’s southern flank. There is practically no mention of the eastern flank,” Macierewicz said, adding that “the proposed military solutions are in line with those currently being implemented by NATO.” Macierewicz called the proposed military structure “competitive to NATO”.

The Polish defence minister also announced that a reconstruction of the Smoleńsk air crash will soon be made public. The 2010 plane crash in Smolensk, Russia, killed 96 Poles, including then-president Lech Kaczyński.

The work now being completed by the Smoleńsk commission “shows how horribly [Poles] have been lied to over the past two years,” Macierewicz said.

Poland's conservative Law and Justice government is holding an investigation into the reasons for the crash, which some in the party suspect was the result of a plot targeting top Polish officials.

Official Polish and Russian military reports were published in recent years on the causes of the tragedy, which happened in dense fog on approach to a military airfield lacking ground identification radar.

The Polish report cited a catalogue of errors on the Polish side, while also pointing to errors made by Russian staff at the control tower of Smolensk Military Airport. Meanwhile, the Russian report placed all the blame on the Poles.

Source: TVP Info