The Polish army will increase the number of military personnel to guard its eastern border to 17,000, with 9,000 in a rapid border reaction force, Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Bejda said on Wednesday, Paralel.Az reports citing Sputnik International.

"If anything happens at the border, these 9,000 soldiers will reach the border together with their ammunition and weapons within 48 hours," Bejda told a press conference in Warsaw dedicated to the East Shield national defense and deterrence plan.

Currently, there are almost 6,000 Polish military personnel deployed at the border, and ultimately there will be 8,000 soldiers directly guarding the Polish border, he added.

The East Shield deterrence plan entails an investment of over 2 billion euros ($2.17 billion) in reinforcing Poland's eastern border with Russia and Belarus. Its realization is expected in 2024-2028. Poland, along with other NATO countries, increased military training of its troops after Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The alliance started reinforcing its eastern flank by sending additional ships, planes, helicopters and ground troops to the region and putting them on high alert.