– Germany is responsible for building Putin's power. When they bought Russian energy resources, thinking about their economic benefits, they made it possible for Putin to spend such revenues on armaments. Thanks to this, the Kremlin still has financial reserves and a relatively strong military base to continue going west and conquer Ukraine, Deputy Prime Minister Mariusz Błaszczak tells Wprost:
The Minister of Defense stressed that we are positioning the Polish army on our eastern border. We will defend every piece of Polish land. We are aware that it is our responsibility to defend our homeland. That is why we are strengthening the Polish army to deter the aggressor.
We recreated military units, reactivated divisions. Today, for example 18th Mechanized Division, which was formed in place of the disbanded 1st Mechanized Division in 2011. The PO-PSL government liquidated units in the east of our country. What consequences could such a policy have if Putin conquered Ukraine? He would enter Poland, try to cause a crisis through hybrid attacks, and then the crimes that take place in Ukraine would also happen in our country.
The purchase program is a big success Abrams tanks. On the one hand, a contract for 250 brand new vehicles in the SEPv3 version, and on the other, 116 used M1A1s. At the same time, our relationship with the Republic of Korea is a big deal.
In December, the first ten K2 tanks i 24 K9A1 gun-howitzers found themselves in Poland. This year, further batches of vehicles of both types will be delivered, as well as K239 Chunmu missile launchers, which are the equivalent of the American M142 HIMARS system. We focus on artillery, including rocket artillery, as this is the result of our analyzes of the events taking place in Ukraine. We know that artillery plays a key role, so we want to strengthen it a lot. In addition, this year, as a result of last year's talks, the first FA-50 Golden Eagle aircraft will be delivered to Poland. These are training and combat aircraft that have been designed in cooperation with the Lockheed Martin corporation by the Korean industry and are therefore very compatible with the F-16C/D Jastrząb we already have.
The main goal that we can see in 2022 is to give up post-Soviet equipment. Firstly, because there are no parts for it, and secondly, because it is worse than the Western one. We can see this perfectly well in the war in Ukraine, where equipment supplied by the West has an advantage.
Poland has purchased 366 tanks, tank battalions will be equipped with both K2 Black Panther and Abrams. I want to equip specific armored brigades with tanks as soon as possible. Equipment is to be moved between units. Armament of the 1st Mechanized Division named after The 1st Infantry Division of Marshal Józef Piłsudski's Legions is to include both types of vehicles, which is related to the tasks that we set before it, i.e. securing both the Brest Gate (in cooperation with the 18th Mechanized Division) and the Suwałki Pass (in cooperation with the 16th Mechanized Division ). The Abrams are ideal for tasking the southern section of responsibility and cooperation with the 18th Mechanized Division. On the other hand, in the north there will be K2 Black Panther, which perfectly match the geographical conditions in the Warmian-Masurian and Podlasie voivodships. It is worth pointing out that they are lighter and have hydropneumatic suspension.
The Polish Grot carbine - it worked well in Ukraine, so we ordered 70,000. pieces for the Polish army. Piorun - Polish anti-aircraft system also worked well in Ukraine, so we increased the order for us as well. These are just two examples of Polish weapons,
We ordered as many Crabs as Huta Stalowa Wola can produce.
We have an agreement with the Koreans that we will jointly produce the successor of Krab and K9.
In the case of helicopters, we focused on plants operating in Poland, i.e. WSK PZL Świdnik and Polskie Zakłady Lotnicze in Mielec. Both are part of foreign corporations. These are factories with a strong brand, employing Polish workers and engineers. For this reason, we focus on the S-70 Black Hawk from Mielec and helicopters of the AW family (apart from the AW149, also the AW101 - ed.) from Świdnik.
The modernization of the army is not only equipment, but also people. The plans are that by 2035 the Polish army is to have 300,000. professional soldiers.
Will the war move to Poland?
This risk is smaller, the stronger the Polish Army is. The stronger the Polish Army is, the bigger the deterrent system. That is why we are establishing new units, equipping the army with modern weapons, not in a 10-year perspective, but much shorter. Thanks to this, Poland is safe. We are trying to strengthen allied relations.
Last year there was a symbolic breakthrough, when the forward element of the command of the V US Army Corps is permanently present in Poland. We have been successful and have a permanent presence of American troops in Poland.
