German-based Rheinmetall AG and Singapore-based Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) agree on cooperation Memorandum of Understanding signed on simulation… The DEFEA defence trade fair will take place in Athens from 6 to 8 May2025 Rheinmetall will be there as a strong partner for… it has been observed that wheeled chassis purchased and operated by the armed forces require additional equipment to enable… Donald Trump makes it clear that Europe must defend itself and take care of its own security The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has published a report titled Trends in World Military Expenditure During a visit by Dmitry Medvedev Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation to the Kapustin Yar missile test range,… Rohde & Schwarz advances their military spectrum monitoring portfolio by launching easily deployable monitoring systems designed to help armed forces optimize their spectrum management,… RAMON IQzoom from Rohde & Schwarz is redefining the boundaries of signal analysis by empowering armed forces to delve deeper into the… Canadian-based Galvion company has announced that their European Production Hub in Poland is now fully operational A photograph has appeared on social media showing soldiers of the Ukrainian National Guard equipped with new 9mm Fort-230A submachine guns,… Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas paid a visit to Stockholm where he held talks with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on defense… As reported by the Australian public broadcaster ABC the delivery of 49 M1A1SA Abrams tanks promised last year to the Armed Forces… The Polish company Creotech Instruments has signed a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) to build a national constellation of at least… have signed a strategic agreement outlining the framework for joint efforts… Direct Action offers a variety of chest rigs The Curtiss model is designed to carry three HK… The Belgian company FN (part of the FN Browning Group) has presented a new company logo and brand tagline Streamlight introduces the TLR-8 HL-X flashlight with an integrated laser sight producing a beam with up to 1,000 lumens of power not only popular hydration systems were showcased but also personal ballistic protection—including armor specifically designed… Enforce Tac is an international trade fair aimed at law enforcement officers At the 3rd International Police and Public Security Fair POLSECURE 2024 in Kielce Holsters HPE Poland presented its offer for… a member of the Polish Armaments Group has introduced the semi-automatic designated marksman rifle MSBS Grot .308 S20… To assist with shooting training and beyond various belts and gear configurations have been developed and customized to suit individual needs where every second can determine the outcome of an operation The Polish Police have released statistical data on firearm permits issued in 2024 An increasing number of Poles now hold… The National Police Headquarters has released statistics regarding the number of firearm permits and firearms themselves in the hands of… ATN is a leading manufacturer of daytime optics The innovative features and ergonomic designs… Grand Power is a Slovak manufacturer of the acknowledged good quality firearms Take part in our guided tour with English subtitles The Vanguard is a uniform set from the Polish brand Direct Action designed in collaboration with special forces soldiers The holographic sight is a device known for nearly 30 years and used by professionals around the world The 15th Giżycko Mechanized Brigade has received its first batch of K9A1 Thunder 155mm self-propelled howitzers which will replace the post-Soviet 122mm 2S1 Goździk systems No details of the delivery were disclosed, but four howitzers can be counted in the accompanying photos. They will be assigned to the self-propelled artillery battalion stationed in Orzysz. Earlier, on February 21 of this year, the first 2025 batch of eight K9A1 howitzers from the Republic of Korea arrived in Poland bringing the total number of these systems to 144 units Deliveries of the K9A1 Thunder howitzers are being carried out under the contract signed on August 26 worth 2.4 billion USD net (11.38 billion PLN net / 13.99 billion PLN gross) concluded with Hanwha Defense (now Hanwha Aerospace) a total of 212 K9A1 howitzers are to be delivered between 2022 and 2026 the Polish Armament Agency signed a second contract worth 2.6 billion USD net (10.33 billion PLN net / 12.81 billion PLN gross) for the delivery of an additional six K9A1 howitzers in 2025 as well as 146 K9PL howitzers in 2026–2027 the Ministry of National Defense announced the start of implementation of this order On December 23, 2024, the ministry signed a contract worth nearly 8 billion PLN with Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW), a company within the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), for the delivery of over 250 support vehicles for the K9 self-propelled howitzers soldiers from the 1st Masurian Artillery Brigade took part in the Akktuli-24 exercise held in Estonia It was the first foreign deployment of these systems The K9 Thunder is a South Korean self-propelled howitzer mounted on a tracked chassis Its primary armament is a 155mm gun with a barrel length of 52 calibers capable of delivering precise fire at ranges exceeding 40 km The K9 is armored to protect against small arms fire and artillery shell fragments It is powered by a 1,000 hp diesel engine paired with an automatic transmission providing high speed and mobility across various terrains The K9A1 variant features a range of upgrades with a focus on increasing firing effectiveness and range to 54 km 120mm M120K Rak self-propelled mortars were also delivered to the unit Best time to visit There is no doubt that the best time to visit Masuria is the summer season which is also the busiest and most expensive time of the year book your stay at the beginning of June or September when the weather is still good and there are less tourists around Goldopiwo Lake | © Shutterstock Check out the best tours, trips and experiences in Warsaw now. If you’re combining your trip to Mazury with visiting Warsaw, the best way to get to the Lakeland to and from Warsaw is by train (to the region’s biggest cities: Olsztyn, Gizycko and Elblag), by bus (check out the affordable polskibus.com) by car or also by plane (there are daily flights to Olsztyn-Mazury Airport) big communal kitchens and a friendly atmosphere Sign up to our newsletter to save up to $800 on our unique trips See privacy policy For a truly luxury experience, head to one of Masuria’s stylish boutique hotels such as Masuria Arte or Gallery 69 Masuria is one of the best places in Poland to get out and experience the great outdoors From kayaking along the picturesque Krutynia River and cycling through the area’s thick forests to sailing and fishing on the country’s biggest lakes there are plenty of activities to choose from Masurian lakes & towns to visit Gizycko | © Shutterstock Measuring over 113 sq km, Śniardwy is Poland’s biggest lake and Pole’s favourite sailing spot You can take a boat out by yourself or rent a skipper to enjoy a day out on the water (or simply relax on one of the wooden decks) Other lakes worth recommending are the Luknajo Lake (which is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve) Mikolajki and Wegorzewo are the prime towns to visit get some food and organise your tours and boat/kayak rentals Masuria also houses Hitler’s former Second World War military headquarters, Wolfschanze (Wolf’s Lair) hidden in the forests close to Kętrzyn village It’s here that Hitler spent more than 800 days and survived an assassination attempt in 1944 See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in September Guides & Tips This Is Europe's Ultimate Road Trip Sports A Hiker's Guide to the Tatra Mountains See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in July Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in December Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in November Guides & Tips Beat the Crowds with these Alternative Summer Destinations See & Do Lesser-Known Summer Destinations to Visit in Europe Guides & Tips The Best Places to Travel in August See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Summer See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Autumn See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in October US: +1 (678) 967 4965 | UK: +44 (0)1630 35000 tripssupport@theculturetrip.com © Copyright 2025 The Culture Trip Ltd This work, Battle Group Poland successfully completes Polish-led water survival course, by CPT Kealy Moriarty, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page the Commission has approved an investment of more than €145 million from the Cohesion Fund for the modernisation and electrification of a railway line section between Ełk and Giżycko in Poland The project will reduce journey times and boost capacity on the railway line enabling an increase in the frequency and punctuality of regional services and connections with western and southern Poland It will also ensure better connectivity for the Giżycko area which is a key local economic centre generating freight traffic and a tourist destination because of its location in the Masurian Lake District the project will upgrade the material conditions of railway tracks and ensure electrification The reconstruction of the drainage system will secure connections to supply power to the whole Ełk-Korsze section Overhead contact lines and supply lines will be installed The works will also replace and reinforce the material underneath the tracks to allow for passage of heavier trains said: “This project upgrading the Polish railway infrastructure will result in faster and more frequent train connections for Polish citizens and will make railways and roads safer and more accessible for persons with disabilities Once more Cohesion Policy is demonstrating that it is concretely improving the life of citizens on the ground More information on EU-funded investments in Poland is available on the Open Data Platform and Kohesio Dmitry Baiduk shared a pitch with Harry Kane as an under-21 but refusing to support Alexander Lukashenko has meant exile recalling the moment he came on late in the game to share a pitch with Harry Kane Nobody can take that away but these days the images prompt a question: “Would Kane be able to imagine what has happened to me since?” Baiduk’s career was taking off when he took a decision that in effect cut it short to sign a letter in support of Belarus’s dictator The government had demanded at least 10 players’ signatures in exchange for continued financial support of the club Upon learning that five teammates had gone ahead and signed the document the pair asked for their contracts to be terminated “We just drank coffee without speaking,” Baiduk says “Vitaliy finally asked: ‘Do you have a plan?’ Neither of us did We had no idea what would happen next but the most important thing was that our consciences and honour were clear.” It is vanishingly rare for an active Belarusian footballer to speak publicly about how sport and those playing it can be abused by a regime that ruthlessly punishes the faintest hint of dissent with up to 12 years in prison Baiduk has taken a calculated risk in doing so: he wants to spread the message that football is not a viable career in his country for anyone who refuses to toe the government line and that the safety net for thpse who resist is virtually nonexistent “Sometimes I think I’m no longer a professional footballer,” he says Continuing his career in Belarus after leaving Brest was not an option: the letter was circulating around top-flight clubs and he did not need telling that six months after an election that had brought hundreds of thousands to the streets in protest against Lukashenko He worked as a taxi driver in Minsk for several months but his safety was a constant concern A contact helped him find a club in Poland The tiny fourth-tier side Znicz Biala Piska took him on but his new life bears no comparison Baiduk is far safer outside Belarus but he is considerably poorer A Bate Borisov youth product who had ended up at another local powerhouse in the 2019 champions his salary back home reached about £2,000 a month He has moved from Znicz to nearby Mamry Gizycko whose part-time operation provides a monthly salary of less than £500 that he supplements with daily eight-hour shifts at a woodworking factory That adds an extra £650 but still brings him well under the average Polish wage physical work at 2pm he drives 40 miles to training and is exhausted when the day ends He is immensely grateful to the factory owner who was a board member of Znicz when he joined for arranging his documentation and both of his jobs upon arriving in Poland “I like the people here and feel quite comfortable,” he says but there is little doubt he should be playing on a higher stage Dmitry Baiduk in the colours of Dinamo Brest Photograph: Courtesy of Dmitry Baiduk“My new teammates were surprised to see a player with my level of experience they told me I was crazy and had made a big mistake But it’s better to work in a factory than play with a Belarusian flag on my shirt Sitting next to Baiduk in the bar area of a Warsaw hotel is Alexander Sverchinsky had attempted to create a formal players’ union in Belarus but his efforts were twice rejected by the Ministry of Justice When checking in to fly from Minsk airport two years ago he detected that state operatives had followed him with a view to his arrest via a terrifying journey through forests and in a boat he uses his legal qualifications to fight on behalf of Belarusians who are in dispute with clubs and agents he helped win 16 cases; the work is pro bono but he sees no other recourse for colleagues who need help “I’ve paid my price for creating an independent union but I will continue to fight even if I’m going it alone,” Sverchinsky says how the net tightened on footballers who dared express their views the top-flight club where Baiduk played between his time at Bate and Brest the team were warned by management to avoid attending the mass demonstrations that swept the country talking about politics in the dressing room or speaking to opposition media Baiduk’s 19-year-old Gorodeya teammate Rostislav Shavel was imprisoned three times Shavel is banned from travelling abroad or signing for another Belarusian club He has received anonymous financial support through players sympathetic to Sverchinsky’s union to aid his recovery from a knee injury but his professional career may be over before it had truly begun it’s about how you were raised,” says Baiduk whose late father was a passionate proponent of the democratic values Lukashenko defaces that 48 footballers are blacklisted by the ministry of sport who participated in an athletes’ video condemning state violence in 2020 It bans them from signing new contracts in Belarus and Free daily newsletterKick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football Bate Borisov contested last Tuesday’s Champions League first qualifying round tie against Partizani Tirana without four first-teamers whose deals were cancelled were without four blacklisted players for their Conference League tie with Vaduz Players who have refused to sign a letter backing Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko have found themselves blacklisted Photograph: President Of Belarus Press Service/ReutersDays before the first leg their sporting director was arrested on the pretext of subscribing to opposition news channels and spreading unwelcome views within the team He was released after 48 hours but there was no chance of staying employed refused to sign a letter backing Lukashenko and the regime’s tentacles had eventually found him Belarusian football is destroying itself from within but the government appears not to care “Our league wasn’t bad in the past but since the election it has become much worse,” Baiduk says detailing the human rights violations inflicted on Belarusian football It is a sobering read; he had hoped it would help the accession of his union into Fifpro perhaps in partnership with its counterpart in Lithuania to circumvent its non-recognition in Belarus Neither Baiduk nor Sverchinsky blames the many players in Belarus who despite being repulsed by their government Many have families to feed or homes to pay for Sverchinsky is adamant that what he frequently calls “our problem” touches every professional in the nation The Belarus national team and club sides have been banned from playing competitively against foreign opposition in their own country since the full-scale Ukrainian war began but Uefa and Fifa are yet to harden their stances in the face of allegations that the government has interfered damagingly in the sport It should not have to fall upon figures such as Baiduk to endanger themselves by exposing the reality but even if the youngster who shared a pitch with Kane might have looked on in horror between supporting a dictator and obeying my conscience This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media “We are consistent in building the resilience of the North Atlantic Alliance through the development of the Polish armed forces as well as constant exercises Exercises are extremely important when it comes to building interoperability The forces of the North Atlantic Alliance guard the security and stability of the countries located on NATO's Eastern Flank” - assured Deputy Prime Minister Mariusz Błaszczak during a meeting with soldiers participating in the Amber Desire 22 exercise the deputy prime minister and the head of the Ministry of National Defence watched the training of soldiers of the Polish Army and allied forces in the vicinity of Supraśl the separated forces of the Multinational Division North East (MND NE) the 15th Mechanized Brigade in Giżycko and sub-units of the international NATO eFP Battalion Battle Group conduct a cyclical exercise "Amber Desire - 22" 300 soldiers and 40 units of equipment take part in the current edition of the exercise The exercise is a test of the ability to efficiently relocate subunits over a long distance and conduct defence operations including also the coordination of international subunits demonstrations of military equipment were held in the area the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance and the armed forces of the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance that the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance are resistant that the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance have such forces thanks to which an attack on the North Atlantic Alliance will be unprofitable for those who they are trying to rebuild the Russian empire” Blaszczak during the meeting with the soldiers The following forces are involved in the exercise: the 15th Mechanized Brigade (1st and 2nd mechanized battalion eFP Battalion (British reconnaissance company soldiers of the US and Romanian Armed Forces) ) 11th Artillery Regiment and 25th Air Cavalry Brigade The activities of the exercising forces are covered from the air by the W-3 Sokół combat helicopters the head of the Ministry of National Defence emphasized that the exercises are continuous and that today's exercise is only one of the editions of the exercises that are organized and conducted  by the command of the Multinational Division North East He recalled that exercises will also be continued in the future and their nature is extremely important for security and stability on NATO's Eastern Flank “Some of these exercises are conducted in Lithuania an important place is the Polish-Lithuanian border requires greater concentration and attention to ensure security on the part of the North Atlantic Alliance countries” "Mysteries of Lake Mamry" is the theme of an exhibition which can be seen at the Museum of Folk Culture in Węgorzewo in the Masurian Lake District in north-eastern Poland Mamry is actually six connected lakes: Mamry the exhibition features a detailed diorama of the waterway from Giżycko to Węgorzewo and points of interest on the shore such as palaces and castles Visitors can find out why amber can be found in Mamry and what was the number of windows at the palace in Sztynort They can also see how iron age people constructed settlements directly on the water  There is a special education section for children with quizzes and games mostly themed on.. Apr 24, 2020 | Business, COVID-19, Politics Poland’s agricultural ministry has published a list of firms that are importing milk products It comes amid a renewed push to encourage “patriotic” consumers to support Polish producers On Thursday, in an article headlined “Some are supportive the agriculture ministry named 12 companies that are importing milk from the Czech Republic “thus limiting sales from Polish farmers” The ministry said that it was acting “in the interest of all those who care about supporting the Polish economy” by making people aware of which firms are “importing from abroad instead of buying from Polish farmers It added that “under the conditions of the [European] single market but this does call into question the economic patriotism of these entities” ‼️ Lista zakładów, które sprowadzają mleko i jego przetwory z zagranicy, ograniczając tym samym zakupy od polskich rolników‼️ Publikujemy ją działając w interesie wszystkich, którym leży na sercu wspieranie polskiej gospodarki.‼️Zobacz na stronie #MRiRW➡️https://t.co/28JWl9zv2d pic.twitter.com/Qx1Y19F2Oj — Ministerstwo Rolnictwa i Rozwoju Wsi (@MRiRW_GOV_PL) April 22, 2020 The blacklist includes some of Poland’s largest dairy producers A number of them have already responded to the government’s accusations “In January we spent 4% of the value of our exports on imports I do not think that makes me unpatriotic,” Szczepan Szumowski He added that hopefully countries to which Poland exports its dairy products will not start compiling their own “patriotic lists” has responded saying that 97.3% of the milk it uses is produced by Polish farmers associated with the company The other 2.7% is ecological milk that comes from Lithuania which the company says is hard to come by in Poland The ministry’s blacklist is the latest move in a long-running effort to encourage Poles to buy products made by Polish companies but have been stepped up during the coronavirus crisis which has made it harder for many Polish firms to export products Poland to begin food exports to China by train as Russia agrees to embargo exception Polish president Andrzej Duda launched the “Consciously Buy Polish Products” (Kupuj świadomie produkt polski) campaign asking shoppers to pay attention to where products come from “It supports our economic development and the fight against the crisis and it supports our entrepreneurs,” said Duda at the inauguration the agriculture minister Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski met with some of the largest food producers in Poland over a video call He called for “solidarity with Polish farmers” by making “a good patriotic choice to buy Polish food” #PAD: Podczas zakupów wybierajmy polskie produkty 🇵🇱#KupujŚwiadomie #ProduktPolski pic.twitter.com/Tc7NDztg0y — Kancelaria Prezydenta (@prezydentpl) April 6, 2020 Last year the government launched a campaign to encouraged to pay particular attention to the origin of their purchases The number 590 refers to the barcode prefix used to indicate that a producer is registered in Poland warn that registration in Poland does not necessarily means that production and headquarters are based in the country nor that the company’s capital in Polish In addition to looking up the 590 barcode prefix they advise checking the producer and production location Proponents of the campaign cite a study by consulting and accountancy company Grant Thornton which finds that a change in consumer habits could make a difference of several tens of billion złoty annually to the Polish economy Product made by companies with Polish capital return 79 groszy for each złoty spent while those made by foreign companies in Poland return 76 groszy only 25 groszy from each zloty sent on fully foreign products remains in Poland Farmers warn of food crisis in Poland due to lack of migrant seasonal workers during lockdown Main image credits: Krystian Maj/KPRM/Flickr (under public domain) Maria Wilczek is deputy editor of Notes from Poland , , The project will strengthen national security and regional infrastructure , , , Figures from PiS have dismissed the claims against Karol Nawrocki as “lies” , , Karol Nawrocki even suggested that the state security services were involved in creating the scandal Apr 30, 2025 | , , , That response will include “large Polish and NATO exercises in Poland” Apr 29, 2025 | , , , Those employed in Poland work on average the third-longest hours in the European Union Apr 28, 2025 | , , , , Westinghouse and Bechtel were first chosen in 2022 as partners on the 192 billion zloty ($51 billion) project please consider helping us to continue and expand it [email protected] Copyright © 2025 Notes From Poland | Design jurko studio | Code by 2sides.pl Senior Research Fellow at the Global Europe Centre ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Weronika Strzyżyńska is currently studying journalism at Goldsmiths as a Scott Trust Bursary recipient She  has written on issues immigration and Brexit for New Statesman and Prospect Agnieszka Wądołowska is managing editor of Notes from Poland She has previously worked for Gazeta.pl and Tokfm.pl and contributed to Gazeta Wyborcza ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland and assistant professor of history at the Pedagogical University of Krakow He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications The Independent and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Stanley Bill is the founder and editor-at-large of Notes from Poland.He is also Senior Lecturer in Polish Studies and Director of the Polish Studies Programme at the University of Cambridge Stanley has spent more than ten years living in Poland He founded Notes from Poland in 2014 as a blog dedicated to personal impressions cultural analysis and political commentary He is committed to the promotion of deeper knowledge and understanding of Poland He is the Chair of the Board of the Notes from Poland Foundation ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Professor of European Studies at Oxford University ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Professor at the Institute of History of the Jagiellonian University ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Executive Director of Taube Family Foundation ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Associate Professor at the Institute of Political Studies of the Polish Academy of Science ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR DestinationsPlanningInspirationShopSearch SavesOpen main menuShutterstock / Robert Szymanski Hidden in thick forest near the hamlet of Gierłoż is one of Poland’s eeriest historical relics – 18 overgrown hectares of huge This was Hitler’s main headquarters during WWII baptised with the German name of Wolfsschanze (Wolf’s Lair) A famous attempt to assassinate the Führer took place here in July 1944 The location was carefully chosen in this remote part of East Prussia far away from important towns and transport routes to be a convenient command centre for the planned German advance eastwards began in autumn 1940; about 80 structures were finally built including seven bombproof bunkers for the top leaders Martin Bormann (Hitler’s adviser and private secretary) Hermann Göring (Prussian prime minister and German commissioner for aviation) and Hitler himself were among the residents Their bunkers had walls and ceilings up to 8m thick The whole complex was surrounded by multiple barriers of barbed wire and gun emplacements An airfield was built 5km away and there was an emergency airstrip within the camp Apart from the natural camouflage of trees and plants the bunker site was further disguised with artificial vegetation-like screens suspended on wires and changed according to the season of the year The Allies did not discover the site until 1945 Hitler arrived at the Wolf’s Lair on 26 June 1941 (four days after the invasion of the Soviet Union) and stayed there until 20 November 1944 with only short trips to the outside world His longest journey outside the bunker was a four-month stint at the Ukraine headquarters of the Wehrmacht (the armed services of the German Reich) in 1942 Having survived an assassination attempt within the complex in July 1944 Hitler left the Wolf’s Lair as the Soviet Red Army approached a few months later The German army prepared the bunkers to be destroyed should the enemy have attempted to seize them The complex was eventually blown up on 24 January 1945 and the Germans retreated but the extensive minefield was still efficiently defending the empty ruins It took 10 years to clear the 55,000 mines within the complex the site has succumbed to Mother Nature; bunkers are slowly disappearing behind a thick wall of natural camouflage It’s best to pick up a site map or booklet sold from stands in the parking area organise a guide to show you around; English- German- and Russian-speaking guides charge 60zł for a 1½-hour tour All structures are identified with numbers and marked with big signs telling you not to enter the ruins including some guides (bunker 6 appears to be the most popular one to enter) Of Hitler’s bunker (13) only one wall survived but Göring’s ‘home’ (16) is in relatively good shape A memorial plate (placed in 1992) marks the location of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg’s 1944 assassination attempt on Hitler and a small exhibition room houses a scale model of the original camp layout You can also continue 200m past the entrance towards Węgorzewo and take a small road to the right signposted ‘Kwiedzina (5km)’ On either side of this narrow path is a handful of crumbling bunkers that can be explored free of charge ContactAddressGierłoż 89 741 0031 https://​www​.wilczyszaniec​.olsztyn​.lasy​.gov​.pl​/ Church of Our Lady and later surrounded by an ample rectangular cloister the hugely popular church was built around four identical corner… Boyen Fortress The Boyen Fortress was built between 1844 and 1856 to protect the kingdom’s border with Russia and was named after the then Prussian minister of war,… Łuknajno Reserve shelters Europe’s largest surviving community of wild swans (Cygnus olor) and is home to… Rotary Bridge Giżycko’s working rotary bridge was built in 1889 and is the only one of its kind in the country Castle Kętrzyn’s Teutonic past lives on in the form of its mid-14th-century brick castle on the southern edge of the town centre Water Tower Giżycko’s seven-storey Water Tower supplied the city with running water until 1997 St George’s Church the Gothic church looks like the town’s second fortress from a distance Its interior has furnishings and decoration dating… View more attractionsNearby The Great Masurian Lakes attractions1. Castle 2. St George’s Church 3. Boyen Fortress 4. Rotary Bridge 5. Church of Our Lady 6. Water Tower 7. Łuknajno Reserve The shallow 700-hectare Lake Łuknajno, 4km east of Mikołajki, shelters Europe’s largest surviving community of wild swans (Cygnus olor) and is home to… No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission “Projekt Wojownik” (Project Warrior) is more than martial arts training It is also about psychological support and integration within veteran environment Wrzosek – these names are well known to anyone who has ever had any interest in combat sports Polish veterans had a chance to train with stars of hand-to-hand combat thanks to Projekt Wojownik an initiative of the Military Center for Civic Education (WCEO) organized a series of meetings throughout the country within the frame of the project He came up with the whole idea when he was watching a mixed martial arts (MMA) event on TV “I thought that it would be great to organize classes for veterans conducted by martial arts champions They are very popular and at the same time respected so I thought attending their classes would motivate veterans to exercise no one understands a warrior better than another warrior,” he says The first training took place in May 2018 at the Communications and Information Technology Training Center (CSŁiI) in Zegrze and after that classes were organized at the 15th Mechanized Brigade in Giżycko the Military University of Land Forces in Wrocław the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade in Świętoszów and the 6th Airborne Brigade in Kraków The aim of organizing the trainings in so many places was to make it easier for veterans from all over the country to attend them it turned out distance was never a problem – many veterans travelled all over Poland to face their idols on the mat LCpl Marta Gajewska and MCpl Andrzej Gajewski currently serving at the 1st “Podlaska” Territorial Defense Brigade “Although as Krav Maga instructors we practice martial arts on a daily basis we actually learned some new techniques from our coaches It was a very interesting experience,” said LCpl Gajewska MCpl Gajewski pointed out the trainings were a great chance to work on one’s skills but also to keep in touch with other veterans we met with people taking part in them since the project started I really hope we will see one another again,” he adds WO Marcin Michalak of the 1st Air Squadron in Leźnica Wielka and adds that “it was good that each training was a bit different I also liked the meeting with Mariusz Cieśliński who showed us Muay Thai (Thai boxing) techniques.” He also emphasizes that “Projekt Wojownik is not only about training but mostly about creating an opportunity to integrate people from our environment I also got a chance to meet some people with whom I served during the mission.” The instructors thought highly of the fitness level and engagement of the veterans “I am surprised at how well the soldiers are prepared for combat,” said Marcin “Polish Zombie” Wrzosek a KSW (Martial Arts Confrontation) champion Everyone executed the given tasks immediately we just fight on different fronts,” said in Łask Jan Błachowicz who holds the third position in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight ranking For some of the soldiers that took part in the classes it was the first experience with combat sports “The participants’ skill level varied substantially The more advanced ones helped the beginners,” explains Col Głuszczak which is confirmed by Lt Filip Bątkowski of CSŁiI in Zegrze an MMA fighter and the organizer of the “Armia FightNight” event who was one of the instructors within Projekt Wojownik “The great thing is that people who have not had any contact with martial arts not only came to our trainings but also decided to continue their adventure with the sport – some of them signed up for classes in their hometowns They woke up the warriors inside them – and that is priceless,” he emphasizes Projekt Wojownik is more than just training a psychologist at the 12th Mechanized Brigade says: “Fighting on the mat is a good way to let off some steam also for veterans coming back from a mission It is important that the instructors selected for the project are professionals They are well aware the internal fight with yourself is sometimes a lot tougher than the fight with your opponent which is why there is very deep understanding between the instructors and soldiers.” At the same time Maj Szymańska emphasizes that physical training should never substitute specialist therapy This is why the organizer also provided for meetings with a psychologist who explained how negative emotions can be forged into sports achievements who told soldiers what to eat to get the most of the training Another person involved in the project was Cpl Tomasz Rożniatowski who shared his story with the participants He lost an arm during a mission in Afghanistan he serves at the Armed Forces Operational Command He told his fellow soldiers about his accident and how physical activity helped him to get through the hard time “I recommend Projekt Wojownik to all veterans Martial arts is a sport from which everyone can get exactly what they need: intensive physical exercise or tranquility,” he emphasized The organizer also invited PE instructors and officer cadets to take part in the project “We really wanted the knowledge shared by the professionals to reach a wider audience than only the participants of the classes who I believe will pass it on when they go back to their units,” says Col Szczepan Głuszczak “The situation should be similar with military school students They are the ones who in the future will command platoons Maybe one of them will someday become Chief of General Staff If we now show them that we are doing something for veterans Croats and Romanians of the NATO Battle Group Classes were also held at the Polish Military Contingent in Latvia Slovakian and Italian troops trained under the watchful eye of Tomasz “Gorilla” Drwal out of whom 300 are foreign missions veterans “I feel that Projekt Wojownik was a successful undertaking If by organizing the classes we managed to help one person We succeeded in helping veterans in their struggle with stress but also the stress they face every day,” says Col Głuszczak he is not planning to rest on his successes Another edition of the project starts already in January thanks to the cooperation between the WCEO and “Pamięć i Przyszłość” Association for Families of Fallen Soldiers also families of those who have not returned from missions will be able to take part in the trainings “I would like to activate families of the soldiers killed on missions because I feel this group has been somewhat left aside but you don’t hear about them very often,” he adds Romania and Croatia – troops of these states’ armies must work together like fingers of one hand always ready to make a fist and strike,” says BrigGen Jarosław Gromadziński about the cooperation of soldiers of Allied armies The Brigade is the unit that cooperates with NATO Battle Group Poland (BGPOL) that has been stationing in our country for over a year Everything began with the Warsaw NATO Summit in July 2016 the member states decided that rotations of Allied forces will be deployed in Poland and the Baltic States within the framework of the so-called enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) the first rotation of BGPOL began its mission in Poland already in April 2017 The core of the rotation were soldiers of the 2nd Squadron of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment of the US Army The history of the unit goes back to the 19th century and since then its troops have participated in all important wars fought by the USA The troops brought to Poland almost 100 Stryker armored fighting vehicles (AFVs) in several versions (equipped with the Mk 19 automatic grenade launchers or the 120-mm Soltam K6 mortars) Poland also welcomed British troops of the Light Dragoons Cavalry Regiment who brought several dozen Jackal reconnaissance vehicles equipped with the 12.7-mm L1A1 machine guns and the 40-mm GMG grenade launchers as well as Romanian troops of the 205th Blue Scorpions Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion with a battery of the Oerlikon air defense system almost 1,350 Allied soldiers came to our country “Deploying troops in Poland proves NATO’s coherence and determination It sends a clear signal to any potential aggressor The fact that Allies from various states work together within the eFP framework shows that the Alliance is committed to Art according to which an armed attack against one member state is considered to be an armed attack against them all,” said Gen Curtis Scaparrotti the current Supreme Allied Commander Europe during the ceremony inaugurating the activity of NATO Battle Group Poland The biggest challenge, however, was producing joint fire. “It wasn’t easy to synchronize all systems. With such a vast variety of weapons, we had to practice procedures for two weeks, but now joint fire is no more problematic,” emphasizes Gen Gromadziński. The Tactical Operations Center of the 15th Mechanized Brigade takes care of the troops’ efficient mobility. The soldiers who are members of this team must first plan the movements of NATO troops and then direct them in a way that ensures a collision-free process, while soldiers on battalion command posts have to constantly monitor the movement of columns. It is not a secret that the presence of Allied troops is important to the locals. For example, there are many more dining options in the vicinity of Orzysz, and the menus are not only available in English, but have also been supplemented with burgers or nuggets, stereotypically considered most popular American food. The soldiers, however, are happy to try Polish dishes. “My personal favorite are pierogis,” discloses Capt Loten-Beckford. Before the soldiers can think about upcoming trips, though, they have to face the challenges awaiting them at the training field. “We’ve just finished Exercise Puma 2018, but we are not slowing down the pace. We continue training. We will mainly focus on the Life Fire training,” says LtCol Adam Lackey, commander of the third NATO BGPOL rotation. “Besides, we have a new vehicle here. We will fire from it for the first time here in Poland,” he adds. The mission of the third BGPOL rotation will finish at the turn of September and October. Poland will then welcome a new group of soldiers, including troops of the National Guard of the United States Army. During the 7th rotation of the Polish Military Contingent, we trained 37 soldiers in six specialties. The final exams of the first phase took place in mid-September 2019, and 36 people passed them. The second phase was successfully completed by 35 trainees. The course for instructors lasted until November 26, and 35 soldiers finished it with a positive result. According to the expectations of the Iraqi side, and NATO’s plans, the trainings are to be continued also in 2020 and 2021. Col Marcin Adamski is the commander of the 7th rotation of the Polish Military Contingent in Iraq. To learn more, check out our transcription guide or visit our transcribers forum Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning