4 days ago
Poland investigates how air defence systems destined for Ukraine were left unattended
Polish authorities are looking into how air defence equipment intended for Ukraine came to be left without adequate supervision.
Source: Polish news portal RMF24, reported by European Pravda
Details: The Przemyśl Prosecutor's Office is conducting an investigation into the mishandling of weapons and ammunition by an unnamed private company.
According to RMF24, the company had been tasked with transporting air defence systems to Ukraine, which were being supplied commercially by a private entity, not the Polish government.
For unspecified reasons, the transportation did not take place and the equipment was stored in warehouses near the Ukrainian border. Although initially guarded, the warehouses were later reportedly left "largely unattended".
The Polish Ministry of Defence stated: "The containers of ammunition and weapons found in Laszki, Subcarpathian Voivodeship [province – ed.], are not the property of the Polish armed forces. The relevant services are securing the site and equipment."
Jacek Dobrzyński, spokesperson for the minister responsible for coordinating Poland's special services, confirmed that the weapons had been stored by a licensed private arms trading company, and that they were air defence systems "similar to those that former police chief Jarosław Szymczyk brought from Ukraine".
In 2022, Jarosław Szymczyk mishandled a functional Ukrainian grenade launcher in his office, causing minor injuries. The weapon had been gifted to him during a visit to Ukraine. In 2024, he was charged with illegal importation and endangerment related to the incident.
Dobrzyński clarified that the equipment had been intended for Ukraine.
"The warehouse was unattended, and this is a scandal. Such weapons must be properly stored and protected," he added.
Background: Poland scrambled fighter jets and heightened its air defence readiness in response to a large-scale Russian missile attack on Ukraine on the night of 24-25 May.
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