The Ministry of Defence confirmed on Thursday that a “small team” of military personnel have been deployed to Poland to provide “engineering support” at the Belarus border. On Friday, the Royal Air Force said fighter jets were also scrambled to respond to military aircraft from Russia - an ally of Belarus - approaching a "UK area of interest".

       The UK agreed to provide assistance to Poland – a Nato ally – as thousands of migrants remain stranded in makeshift camps at the border.

       The European Union has accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of facilitating the illegal border crossings as a "hybrid attack" against the bloc's sanctions.

       The move to involve the UK in the spat on the continent has provoked an angry response from a number of Express.co.uk readers and many let their opinions known in the comments section on a previous story.

       Whitworth 1 said: “Once again we bail out the inept EU border force.”

       Dingleberry wrote: “British soldiers used again for EU incompetence.”

       Jeremy1951 added: “There are 27 countries in the EU, and they should mobilise first before the UK send troops.”

       Meanwhile, Tamthescot said: “Sorry but it’s an EU problem, and as we have left the EU, not one of our troops should be there.”

       Migrants, mainly from Iraq and Afghanistan, are sheltering in freezing conditions at the EU external border between Belarus and Poland and Lithuania.

       READ MORE: Brexit LIVE: Ignore Article 16 – EU told border is 'your problem’

       Warsaw is refusing to let them into the country and it has been suggested Minsk has been issuing special visas to allow flights into Belarus.

       Polish President Andrzej Duda said: “The Belarusian regime is attacking the Polish border, the EU, in an unparalleled manner.

       "We currently have a camp of migrants who are blocked from the Belarusian side.”

       Belarus has denied encouraging the crossings and has put the blame at the door of Poland.

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       In a statement, the Belarus border guard said: “The indifference and inhumane attitude of the Polish authorities has prompted the refugees to take such a step of despair.”

       Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has called on Moscow to take charge of the situation and condemned the Belarusian leader.

       She told the Sunday Telegraph: "Russia has a clear responsibility here. It must press the Belarusian authorities to end the crisis and enter into dialogue."

       Ms Truss added the stand-off "marks the latest step by the Lukashenko regime to undermine regional security”.

       She said: “He is using desperate migrants as pawns in his bid to create instability and cling on to power, regardless of the human cost.”

       The Secretary of State also reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to its European partners.

       Ms Truss said: "The UK will not look away. We will stand with our allies in the region, who are on the frontier of freedom."