Russia denies at UN sending migrants to Belarus-Poland border

Russia and Belarus they are not helping migrants flock to the Polish-Polish border, Russia’s deputy ambassador to the UN said on Thursday, saying Moscow does not plan to invade Ukraine.

“No, absolutely not”said Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy on possible aid to migrants ahead of a closed-door emergency meeting of the Security Council on the border migration crisis called at the request of Estonia, France and Ireland.

When asked about the fighter jet movements observed in the skies over Belarus, Polyanskiy explained that they were a “response to the massive deployment” of armed Polish guards on the border between Poland and Belarus.

“We have obligations in the framework of the unity between Russia and Belarus”, added.

“If there is a concentration of military resources on the border with Belarus, we must react. These are only reconnaissance flights, nothing more, it is a normal activity ”, he insisted.

Migrants “are people who have come to Belarus legally and seek to enter European countries, especially Germany. They are not allowed to cross the border, they are persecuted, beaten. It is a shame and a total violation of international conventions ”.

The Russian diplomat estimated that a way out of the crisis can only be through dialogue.

He criticized Warsaw’s lack of transparency. Journalists and NGOs cannot access the Polish side of the border, he said, unlike, according to him, what happens in Belarus.

In turn, I describe as “shameful” the request of the Europeans that the UN Security Council take action on the matter.

Estonia, France and Ireland were to, after the emergency meeting, issue a joint statement with the United States, Norway and the United Kingdom on the migration crisis between Belarus and Poland.

When asked if the deployment of Russian military forces on the border with Ukraine meant that Moscow intended to invade Ukraine, Dmitry Polyanskiy assured that this “was never planned.”

“Remember that the American warships in the Black Sea are acting in a very provocative way,” he said.

“Every day it is more difficult to avoid a direct confrontation in the Black Sea,” added the diplomat.

“We have the right to concentrate troops where we want, it is not Ukrainian territory, it is Russian territory,” he insisted.

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