The Kremlin spokesman said Poland is stepping up its "provocations" against Russia and its allies, especially Belarus. The announcement comes as Polish Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski said Warsaw was tightening military controls on the border with Belarus due to the presence of Wagner company militiamen.

"Indeed, the fighters of this group are on the territory of Belarus within the framework of the existing agreements. Actually, near the border or not near the border it doesn't matter, this is the territory of Belarus, Minsk is a sovereign state", said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Moscow's announcement comes a few days after the incident between two Belarusian military helicopters that occurred at dawn on the border with Poland. The collision had been photographed by local residents. Warsaw had initially denied the accident. Then in the evening it issued a statement confirming the event.