Poland has begun moving over 1,000 troops to the east of the country, the defence minister said, amid rising concern in the NATO-member that the presence of Wagner fighters in Belarus could lead to increased tension on its border.

“Over 1,000 soldiers and almost 200 units of equipment from the 12th and 17th Mechanized Brigades are starting to move to the east of the country,” Mariusz Blaszczak wrote on Twitter.

“This is a demonstration of our readiness to respond to attempts at destabilisation near the border of our country.”

A senior Wagner commander earlier said that mercenaries from the group were preparing to move to Belarus.