Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko vowed retaliation after NATO officials suggested shooting down Russian or Belarusian aircraft over member states.
Threats and Reactions
Lukashenko dismissed NATO’s remarks as “stupid and reckless,” questioning whether they would shoot down military helicopters, including those escorting the Belarusian president, near the Polish border in the Bialowieza Forest.
He accused NATO of frightening its own populations with “fake” threats from Belarus and Russia, warning that any attack on Belarusian forces would be met with fierce resistance.
Poland’s Stance on Military Action
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Poland would shoot down any aircraft violating its airspace, emphasizing that such decisions would be made without hesitation.
However, he noted that ambiguous situations, like Russian fighter jets flying near the Petrobaltic platform in the Baltic Sea without entering territorial waters, require careful consideration to avoid escalation.
