In a tense situation in the area of security Poland intensively invests in the military and organized a new territorial defence, in which the part-time involved 52 thousand volunteer soldiers. At the same time, thousands of Polish young people train to be able to protect the homeland — from the “aggressive” Russia. The correspondent of Svenska Dagbladet, Thomas Lundin met with several of them.
Dąbrowa górnicza — the Air trembles from the heat, and seventeen-year-old Patricia and her friends sneak along a narrow forest path in southern Poland. They are dressed in camouflage and move almost silently. Some faces covered with masks and dark glasses. In the hands of their — rifles or machine guns.
The group leader gives a sign with his hand, and they are going to attack. Break between the trees, headlong rush to the ground and imitate a fierce battle with the enemy, who snuck into Polish territory.
“I see it as my duty as a patriot to defend his country,” says Patricia and wipes the sweat from his forehead. The battle is over and she is resting in the shade of a tree.
Patricia was one of 20 students practicing together with the volunteer Force Task Force 13 Scorpions (“task force 13 Scorpions”), which is run by former professional soldiers, supported by Polish army. A week readying their camping near the city of dąbrowa górnicza, to the North of Katowice.
Exercise most severe. Rise at five in the morning. Then a long foot March in full uniform, with copies of the rifles or with rifles, incapacitated. After a short pause, some go to climb steep rocks. The rest remain in the camp and practiced in the conduct of close combat.
Training holds a hefty police instructor with arms thick as tree trunks. Hail sypyatsya blows below the belt, attacks aimed at the throat, the alleged knife attack.
“Harder! Faster!”
“Wait a second — I think you’ve already lost!” — shouts the instructor.
13 Scorpions Task Force organized, when, in 2014, Russia invaded Crimea and fighting broke out in Eastern Ukraine. Group commands Buchcik Jacek (Jacek Buchcik), a former corporal in the Polish army, now an electrician and owner of his own company.
“We have nothing against Russian, — he says. But under Putin, Russia has become unpredictable and threatening”.
Few people think that Moscow will dare to start a full-fledged war against NATO member Poland and the Baltic countries. But many fear the start of a hybrid war using irregular troops, “little green men”, as in Ukraine, misinformation, cyber attacks and psychological pressure.
“Then on stage we will come, — says Jacek Buchcik. — We are local and will be able to instantly detect and knock the “little green men” or unknown persons who are trying to sabotage them”.
Youth training camps usually goes to the so-called “lessons in uniform”, “klasy mundurowe”, where they, in addition to the usual studies, they learn how to behave during natural disasters, and a few hours per week take some form of military training. “Lessons in uniform” is, in schools throughout Poland, and they are becoming more popular.
Across the country there are also small enterprises and militant groups. Some have a long history in Poland. Others organized recently and kind of have an aggressive nationalistic tone, some allegedly linked to aggressive Polish football fans.
New territorial defence, which from 2019 will include 52 thousand soldiers on part-time, hopes to be able to recruit young people and ex-professional soldiers of the volunteer groups. Recruitment has already begun, and more than 20 thousand people have already expressed interest.
In the first phase we are talking about the financing of 3.6 billion zlotys, i.e. by 8.3 billion Swedish kronor (58.7 per billion). Members will receive intensive military training for 16 days, and then will train on weekends for another three years — a total of 30 days per year. For this they will receive compensation about 1 200 SEK per month (8 400 rubles — approx. transl.).
Local defense is only part of the ambitious measures taken by Poland to strengthen defense of the country. The goal is by 2030 to almost double defence spending to 80 billion zlotys at prices at the moment. Costs then rise to 2.5 % of GDP, then there will be a lot more than 2%, which requires NATO. This requirement is now performed in just five countries-members of the Alliance.
Behind these efforts is a new look at Russia. In may, defence Minister Antony, Macarevich (Antoni Macierewicz) made the strategic report, which criticized how the Western world lulled itself into a false security and has long been a blind eye to the “aggressive policy of Russia”.
Part of the report is classified. But free to access the summary States: “There is nothing impossible that Russia will try to foment a regional conflict which will involve one or more NATO countries”. The Minister of defence raises the problem of a large-scale military modernization in Russia, presenting it as a reason to strengthen defense power of Poland.
But critics warn that investment in increasing the number of soldiers and the creation of new connections, local defense — the wrong way. Assuming that the calculations are approximately two-thirds of arms of Poland remained in Soviet times, she needed instead to quickly improve your weapon.
Youth in dąbrowa górnicza to care no. For seventeen-year-old Laura, who wants to work in the police, heavy workout in the first place “big fun” and a way to prove that the girls are at least as tough as the guys.
“And I love the uniform, she says. — It’s just beautiful!”
