– erstwhile did Russia vs Ukraine and Russia – Poland start talking about a possible war among the military in Poland?
– Our civilian and military services have been focused on the east direction since 2014. I remember – and now I can betray it – that as early as 2017, erstwhile I worked at the National safety Office and continued Zapad exercises, we were afraid of what Russia could do.
– According to authoritative information, 7 100 units of military equipment, 3 1000 Russian soldiers and 9 1000 7 100 Belarusian soldiers were to participate. Moreover, the full number – thirteen 1000 soldiers – is not accidental.
– Right. The point was that according to the Vienna paper on exercises involving more than thirteen 1000 soldiers, the organiser should formally notify the OSCE and invitation its observers. It was unofficially said that even 100,000 soldiers from Russia and Belarus took part in the 2017 maneuvers. We were afraid that the Russians would leave any of their troops in Belarus...
– In 2017, talks were already underway at the NSA about the anticipation of war and that the Russians would attack Ukraine?
- Yeah. There were concerns that Russia could go further; that Zapad exercises would only be a cover to regroup troops and go to Ukraine. From what I remember, it was about regrouping the 1st defender of the Armoured Army.
