By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – Two Russian long-range Tu-22M3 bombers carried out a patrol in the airspace of Belarus on Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The aircraft checked out air defense systems and interoperability with ground command posts of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus, the ministry said in a statement.

The exercise came amid heightened tensions between Belarus and Poland over a migration crisis that has escalated this week.

On Monday, Polish authorities deployed about 15,000 troops along the border to stop migrants heading to the EU who enter the country after passing through Belarus.

The heavy deployment has sparked concern in Russia, with the Kremlin saying it is closely monitoring “the alarming situation” and urging all parties to behave responsibly.​​​​​​​