On Tuesday evening, Mariusz Błaszczak, the head of the Ministry of National Defense, met with soldiers from the operational and territorial forces at a base in Jarylówka near Bobrowniki in the Podlaskie Voivodeship, close to the border with Belarus. During Polish Army Day, he publicly thanked them for their service along this border, acknowledging the challenges they face on the frontline between Poland and Belarus.
The minister joined the soldiers for an informal open-air dinner. In addition to food prepared by the military kitchen, bonfires were lit to roast sausages, creating a communal atmosphere on the evening gathering.
“I came to thank you. When the parade was held in Warsaw, I said I would come to you to express gratitude for your service, because what you do here, standing watch at the Polish-Belarusian border, is of utmost importance”, he stated.
He noted that the parade had drawn applause for the troops and continued, “Strong applause was directed at you during the ceremony. I want to thank everyone who attended today’s parade in Warsaw. It is Polish Army Day, so I could not miss offering my best wishes to you.”
The minister affirmed that the work of soldiers guarding the Belarus border earns appreciation from fellow citizens. “People truly value your demanding service. The challenges you face contribute directly to Poland’s security”, he added.
Blaszczak emphasized that his priority as minister is to expand the size of the Polish army. “We are building up new military units, and the Polish army will number 300,000 soldiers—this is a real plan and a real goal”, he said, reiterating commitments to armament procurement and NATO cooperation.
The base at Jarylówka hosts personnel from the 12th Mechanized Brigade and the 1st Podlaska Territorial Defense Brigade, among others. The unit’s representatives explained that Polish border support operations have persisted for more than 700 days. Captain Łukasz Wilczewski, the press officer for the 1st Podlaska Territorial Defense Brigade, recalled that the first phase of border support began when the state of emergency was declared on the border with Belarus and continued until the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, lasting through the initial period of crisis.
Wilczewski noted that in those early days the territorial defense forces operated mainly in the border’s deeper areas, focusing on detaining illegal migrants and the couriers who transported them. In the second phase, triggered by the outbreak of war in Ukraine, the forces have served along a designated stretch of the Polish-Belarusian border. He highlighted that the border section lacks a fixed barrier due to natural conditions, making the frontline effort uniquely demanding and non-stop. He affirmed that the area remains secured and the service continues without interruption.
— PAP
Source: wPolityce