- Geopolitics Hound
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- 🐾 Poland notifies NATO
🐾 Poland notifies NATO
Geopolitics Hound
August 02, 2023
Good morning, readers!
Today's geopolitics heat map is looking similar to yesterday's, but what it doesn't show are the rising tensions between Poland and Belarus. 👇🏻
Today’s geopolitics hotspots:
Poland on high alert:
Belarus’ airspace violation
Poland is beefing up its border security after accusing Belarus of flying military helicopters into its airspace on Tuesday. Belarus denies the claim and mocks Poland for being scared of Russian mercenaries.
✍🏻 Rapid Fact Check:
Poland notified NATO of the incident and requested its support.
In addition to the 1,000 troops already deployed to its eastern border, Poland's defense ministry sent "additional forces and resources, including combat helicopters."
The Belarusian defense ministry denied any border violations by its Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters, refuting Poland's claim.
Belarus accused Poland of fabricating allegations to justify a troop buildup.
Belarusian dictator Lukashenko is quoted as saying on Tuesday:
“[Polishes] should pray that we’re holding on to [the Wagner fighters] and providing for them. Otherwise, without us, they would have seeped through and smashed up Rzeszów and Warsaw in no small way. So they shouldn’t reproach me, they should say thank you.”
📚 Context:
Last week, Russian President Putin emphasized that any attack on Belarus would be regarded as an attack on Russia.
On Monday, the US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, warned that if the Wagner Group were to launch an attack on NATO, it would be perceived as an attack by Russia against NATO.
Poland is a NATO member and supports Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Belarus is Russia’s closest ally and hosts thousands of Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group.
The border crisis between Belarus and Poland has persisted for months, with accusations against Belarus for facilitating the influx of migrants and refugees from the Middle East and Afghanistan who seek to travel further into Europe from Poland.
Two killed in Senegal:
Protest against Sonko’s arrest
Ousmane Sonko.
Two people were killed in Senegal on Monday, during a protest against the arrest of the popular opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.
✍🏻 Rapid Fact Check:
On July 28, Senegal’s government arrested Sonko, charged him with criminal offenses, and dissolved his political party.
The government has also restricted mobile internet services, due to “dissemination of hateful and subversive messages on social networks.”
Sonko is facing a total of 7 charges, which include calling for insurrection, conspiring against the state, threatening national security, and various other charges.
📚 Context:
Sonko's popularity among the country's youth has posed a threat to the current ruling party.
He was already sentenced to two years in prison for “corrupting youth” in June after being cleared of rape allegations.
Sonko is a former tax inspector who exposed corruption and tax evasion by the Senegalese elite.
Quick updates
📕 Note for the newcomers:
Click on the country's name to read the full article.🇮🇳 India: Deadly communal clashes between Hindus and Muslims in Haryana, India, have resulted in the imposition of a curfew, suspension of internet services, and the deployment of thousands of paramilitary forces.
🇺🇦 Ukraine: Russian drones attacked port and grain storage facilities in Ukraine's Odesa region, while Kyiv's air defenses successfully downed more than 10 Russian drones during the overnight attack.
🇸🇪 Sweden: In response to increased threats following recent Quran burnings, Sweden has bolstered its border controls, granting police more authority to stop and search individuals.
🇷🇺 Russia: The US has stated that Russia has shown some signs of interest in resuming talks on the Black Sea grain deal, which Russia terminated two weeks ago.
🇮🇱 Israel: In September, all 15 judges of Israel's Supreme Court are scheduled to participate in a hearing to consider arguments against Netanyahu's judicial overhaul law.