Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu has revealed a plan to send more troops along the western Russian border in response to what he called "threats" posed by NATO.

Shoigu delivered a speech at a defense ministry meeting on Wednesday. He insisted that military support by the United States and European nations for Ukraine has been creating a serious risk threatening to make the current situation worse.

He said threats to Russia's security have multiplied in western and northwestern Russia, citing NATO's expansion, with Finland having joined the alliance.

He also noted that Poland, a NATO member, has been purchasing weapons from the US and other nations to beef up its military forces.

Shoigu said an adequate response is necessary to deal with those threats.

The Polish government is on high alert as Belarus is believed to have been harboring fighters of the private military firm Wagner Group after they staged a short-lived armed rebellion in Russia.

Poland's deputy interior minister told local media on Wednesday that the country will deploy an additional 2,000 troops to an area near the border with Belarus.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said last month that any aggression against Belarus would be considered as an aggression against Russia.

Belarus' defense ministry announced this week that it launched military exercises in an area near Poland. There is concern that tensions may grow further.