'Something Will Happen': Fears In Poland As Wagner Trains Belarusian Soldiers '5 Kilometers' From Border

This image, of a fighter from Russia's Wagner mercenary group piloting a drone in the Brest region of western Belarus, is one of several released by Belarusian and Russian media on July 20. 

The images show Belarusian troops, including these soldiers operating automatic grenade launchers, being trained by Wagner mercenaries "less than 5 kilometers" from the Polish border, according to the Belarusian Defense Ministry. 

A sign in Polish warns that the Belarusian border is close by, near the Bug River on July 20. 

On the Polish side of the border around the village of Kolpin-Ogrodniki, Reuters journalists reported hearing gunfire coming from Belarusian territory on July 20. 

In Kolpin-Ogrodniki, Agata Moroz teared up as she told Reuters journalists, "everyone says that something will happen, that something will definitely happen." 

"I'm afraid. I have a son in the army. He's a military man. I'm worried about him. I have grandchildren. I have a disabled husband. I'm most worried about them," Moroz said.
 

Other locals in the Polish village reported hearing helicopters flying in recent days above Belarusian territory near the border. Poland has been a member of NATO since 1999. 

A Belarusian soldier operating an automatic grenade launcher. 

Warsaw announced on July 20 that it would move military units to Poland's eastern border specifically due to the presence of Wagner fighters in Belarus.

Belarusian soldiers and Wagner fighters on an armored vehicle at a training ground in Belarus's Brest region. 

In a post on the Belarus Defense Ministry's Telegram  channel, a soldier was quoted as saying that Wagner fighters, "constantly show us new tricks and share their experiences from combat operations. There isn't much time for rest but this experience is very cool and we need it," the unnamed soldier said. 

A satellite image of a military base in Tsel, Belarus, on July 16. The site is believed to be the main encampment of Wagner fighters after the Russian mercenary group abandoned an uprising against Russia's military leadership in June.  

 

Belarusian and Wagner fighters training near the Polish border. 

A Polish official called the joint training exercises "a clear provocation."
 

A fighter wearing a Russian flag with another soldier during the joint exercises. 

The Kremlin weighed in on July 20, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling reporters that Poland's relocation of troops to its eastern border was "a cause for concern," adding that what he called "the aggressiveness of Poland is a reality."