Bayraktar drone combat debut and Poland's border build-up
Two developments on 26 October 2021 involved a drone used in combat in eastern Ukraine and a larger troop deployment on the Polish-Belarusian frontier.
What happened on 26 October 2021 that drew attention across the region? Two separate developments were reported: a first combat use of a Turkish drone in the zone of the Joint Forces operation, and a larger Polish troop presence on the border with Belarus.
In the area of the Joint Forces operation, the Turkish Bayraktar reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial system was used in combat for the first time, according to reports from that day.
Separately, Poland raised the number of soldiers deployed on its border with Belarus from 6,000 to about 10,000. The aim was to prevent further illegal crossings by Middle Eastern migrants who, as reported, were being flown in by the Belarusian government. The increase followed a weekend in which two border guards were hospitalised after a group of 70 migrants stormed a section of the border.
The reports placed both developments within wider border and security concerns in Eastern Europe on 26 October 2021.
