The two helicopters in question were identified as a Mi-24 Hind attack helicopter and an Mi-8 transport helicopter.
The Mi-24 Hind assault helicopter and the Mi-8 transport helicopter were the two helicopters in question
The event took place in the Bialowieza region, and according to the Polish Ministry of Defence, the helicopters' abnormally low flying height complicated radar detection.
The Polish ministry declared that it will increase its military presence on the Belarusian border in response to the claimed violation. The Belarusian diplomatic mission was invited by Poland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss the Matter
“Undoubtedly, these are provocative actions aimed at NATO’s eastern flank and Poland,” Polish Deputy Defense Minister Wojciech Skurkiewicz said, quoted by Defence24. “Of course, we informed the NATO headquarters about this incident. Yesterday, a meeting of the security committee was held.”
However, Belarus denied violating Polish airspace. The claims, according to the Belarusian Ministry of Defence, "were made by the Polish army and political leaders to justify once again the increase in forces and means near the Belarusian border."
Polish and Belarusian border tensions have lately risen as a result of the Wagner group's recent redeployment of troops from Russia to Tsel, central Belarus, in the wake of a failed coup. The paramilitary group's troops would train Belarusian special forces at the Bretsky training facility, fewer than 5 kilometres from the Polish border, the Belarusian government said on July 20, 2023.
When Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters were dispatched in August 2020 to fire down white and red balloons released during a protest in Lithuania in support of the anti-regime protests in Belarus, Belarusian helicopters were already at the centre of a border issue. The Belarusian ambassador was given a note of protest by the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs after it was reported that the helicopters violated Lithuanian airspace close to Medininkai.
BREAKING:
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) August 1, 2023
Poland announces that 2 Belarusian military helicopters intruded Polish airspace today, flying across the Białowieża National Park.
The flew across the border at a low altitude to avoid radar and then quickly returned back home.
Belarus is trying to escalate tensions pic.twitter.com/gXpsyGqSNR
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