Belarus Dismisses Czech Diplomat in Reciprocal Action Following Czech Allegations of Spy Network
In recent events, a series of incidents have escalated tensions between Belarus and Poland, with Russia also being drawn into the fray.
The latest development came shortly before the start of the Zapad-2025 exercises, a joint military drill by Russia and Belarus, when at least 19 Russian drones infiltrated Polish airspace, causing NATO allies to be on high alert. In response, Warsaw closed its border with Belarus.
This drone incident led to the detention of Belarusian and Ukrainian citizens in connection with the events in Warsaw. The Polish authorities are yet to provide further details about these detentions.
The diplomatic fallout from this incident has seen Belarus' Ministry of Foreign Affairs summon a senior Polish diplomat and order a Czech diplomat to leave the country within 72 hours. Minsk considered the diplomatic incident closed, but warned that it would respond appropriately if there is further escalation.
The expulsion of Belarusian diplomats was uncovered by intelligence services from the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania, and was part of a wider crackdown on a European spy ring made up of agents from Belarus' KGB state security agency. This spy network was able to operate effectively due to the freedom Belarusian diplomats enjoy while traveling across European countries.
To counter these hostile activities in Europe, the Czech intelligence agency (BIS) suggested restricting the movement of accredited diplomats from Russia and Belarus within the Schengen (borderless) area.
Belarus is currently led by President Aliaksandr Lukashenka, who is an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Lukashenka has allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and also allowed the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear missiles.
The European Union is closely monitoring the potential trade impacts of the Poland-Belarus border closure. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how these tensions will affect the region.
Despite the ongoing diplomatic and military tensions, there is no clear evidence to suggest where Michal Koudelka made his statement about preventing the daily activities of Russian-Belarusian agents in Europe.
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