WORLD

Poland may “join” the Russia and Ukraine war if the latter fail to protect “independence”, said Polish ambassador to France, Jan Emeryk Rosciszewski.

Speaking live to the broadcaster LCI, the senior diplomat said the situation now is “either Ukraine will successfully defend its independence, or we will be forced, in any case, to join this conflict.”

“Otherwise, our principal values, which are the basis of our civilization and our culture, will be in fundamental danger, so we will have no choice,” Rosciszewski stated.

In line with the overall policy to step up the military outreach to Africa, where China has made major strategic inroads, the Army is all set to conduct an Africa-India field training exercise and a chiefs’ conclave in Pune this month.

Senior Army officers on Friday said the 10-day AFINDEX exercise, in which contingents from nine countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Niger, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia) will take part, will kick off on March 21. Eleven other countries, including Congo, Egypt, Nigeria, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Cameroon and Morocco, are sending observers for the exercise, which is being held for the second time after 2019.

The West has long been accusing China of helping Russia with state-of-the-art weaponry to be used against Ukraine, though the former has rejected it all. But, several reports have emerged that suggest that China may be supplying weapons and equipment to its all-weather friend Russia, though, in tortuous ways, to circumvent Western sanctions against the Kremlin.

China has reportedly been supplying commercial drone and drone parts to Russia, along with equipment such as body armour and rifles.

According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), “Such Chinese shipments are significant, however, because they could alleviate strain on the overextended Russian defense industrial base (DIB) and circumvent Western attempts to limit Russian access to microchips.”

Poland on Thursday pledged it would send four MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, the first NATO member to do so, in a significant move in Kyiv’s battle to resist Russia’s onslaught.

Warsaw has taken a lead among NATO allies in supplying Kyiv with heavy weapons, and President Andrzej Duda’s announcement that Poland will send the Soviet-designed planes could put pressure on other countries in the alliance to provide fighter jets.

After law enforcement agencies pulled back from former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khans residence in Lahore on Wednesday, PTI supporters outside Zaman Park cheered and celebrated "chasing Rangers away". Earlier in the morning, the police and Rangers continued efforts ?- which began on Tuesday -- to arrest the PTI chief in connection with the Toshkhana case, reports Dawn. However, they were met with strong resistance from PTI workers. The law enforcement personnel retreated after party supporters pelted stones at them. Subsequently, celebrations erupted outside Zaman Park, Dawn reported.

In a tweet, the party said that more workers were reaching Zaman Park and vowed not to let the "impure intentions" of the coalition government succeed.