The Polish army will be strengthened with 15,000 new soldiers this year as part of a plan to expand its military capabilities and improve the results obtained in military simulations against a hypothetical Russian invasion.
Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak announced Monday that 8,000 of those 15,000 men are already “in action” after completing 28 days of basic training, and another 1,000 young men will begin training starting Monday. , the country in 16 camps in various regions.
Included in the expansion plan of the Polish Army Doubling the number of troops, raising defense spending to 3% of GDP and modernizing equipment250 Abrams tanks and 32 F-35 aircraft were purchased.
Polish ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski said yesterday in Kielce that it was important to make enemies understand that “attacks are not worth it”, stressing that Poland’s defense doctrine consists of protecting “the border (with Russia)”. ”.
For political scientist Karol Kowalski of the University of Krakow, military maneuvers aim to assess whether Poland “The offensive could be held for three weeks, until it received friendly reinforcements.”.
“The exercises were done twice. The first time, following the political instructions, trying to defend the whole territory from the beginning. It was a disaster. In five days there will be Russian tanks in Warsaw. The exercises were repeated according to the plans of the army, from the beginning retreating to the Vistula River area. That way, the Polish forces Lasts for 11 days. It is enough to get help from allies“.
In that simulation, what Polish President Andrzej Duda called the “biggest mobilization since 1989” by the military, it was decided that the Polish Navy and Air Force would be practically subdued in the top five in the face of a Russian invasion. days of battle, as well as all ground forces east of the Vistula River.
However, according to military information published by Polish media, the air force diverted aircraft to German bases to avoid the first attacks, choosing a defensive line across the Vistula River from the start of the hypothetical conflict. The progress of the invaders could be restrained until help arrived.
At the last NATO summit, the establishment of the headquarters of the US 5th Army in Poland was announced, which Duda described as “very important” and, in his opinion, “strengthens Polish security.”
