American soldiers stationed at the Polish base of Powidz, where significant military reinforcements have been sent by the United States, hope that their presence in this NATO ally and neighbor of Ukraine will reassure all the region in the face of security tensions with Russia.
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This base is an essential logistics center for the American army in Poland, whose manpower has more than doubled in recent days to reach approximately 9,000 soldiers. This in reaction to the significant mobilization of Russian troops on the borders of Ukraine.
“What we are focused on is assuring our allies and our partners in the region that the United States is there,” Lieutenant General John Kolasheski said on the sidelines of a visit Friday. from the base by the American and Polish defense ministers.
According to him, American troops are conducting training “to strengthen the collective readiness of our units as well as theirs and also to demonstrate that we are capable of being interoperable” with the Polish forces.
During the visit of US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Polish counterpart Mariusz Blaszczak, armored vehicles were exhibited in a giant hangar at this base where there are a thousand American soldiers.
And on the airstrip, three Ospreys – vertical take-off and landing military aircraft often used by US special forces – had been placed.
Poland usually hosts around 4,000 US troops, including as part of a US-led NATO battlegroup sent to the region after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
But faced with the resurgence of tensions between Moscow and the West over Ukraine, US President Joe Biden has dispatched 4,700 additional soldiers in recent days. He said Friday for the first time “convinced” that Russian President Vladimir Putin had made “the decision” to invade this former Soviet republic.
For its part, Russia criticized the sending of these American reinforcements and demanded that NATO’s “enhanced forward presence” in Poland and the Baltic states – all formerly under the control of Moscow – be reduced.
“Growing sense of insecurity”
At a Friday press conference in Warsaw, Mr. Blaszczak thanked Mr. Austin. “The support of the United States in this difficult time is a sign of responsibility and unwavering commitment to the security of Poland and Europe,” he said, warning against “imperialist policy of the Russian Federation”.
The US minister said the troops were “ready to respond to a range of contingencies”, including the evacuation of US citizens from Ukraine if necessary.
“Poland knows firsthand the high cost borne by the victims of aggression from more powerful neighbours,” noted Lloyd Austin.
According to Greg Lewicki, international relations expert at the Club Jagiellonian think tank, the sending of additional US troops represents a “particularly welcome” reaction to “a growing sense of insecurity” in central and eastern Europe in recent years.
“This growing feeling of insecurity had been minimized, even ridiculed, by certain countries of Western Europe”, he underlined, pointing in particular to French and German political leaders.
According to him, they “portrayed Central and Eastern Europe as being Russophobic” but the current situation “shows that we were right from the start”.
On the basis of Powidz, responsible among other things for the supply of food and fuel to the American army in Poland, the recent reinforcements have led to an increase in work but the soldiers are getting used to it.
“Our troops are engaged. They love this mission,” says Sergeant-Major Raymond Harris. American soldiers “really enjoy working with our NATO partners and allies, building those relationships.”
Pro-Russian separatist leader in Donetsk proclaims ‘general mobilization’
Moscow | The leader of the pro-Russian separatist “republic” of Donetsk, at war with Ukraine, proclaimed “general mobilization” on Saturday, as fears of a Russian attack are at their height.
“I call on my fellow reservists to report to the military conscription offices. Today I signed the general mobilization decree,” Denis Pouchiline announced in a video statement. The announcement comes as observers have reported a “dramatic increase” in frontline violence between the Ukrainian military and Russian-backed separatists.