Defence minister signs territorial defence plan

The formation of a territorial defence force is a necessity in light of Russia's behaviour, and an element of patriotic upbringing, Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz said Monday in Warsaw after signing a national territorial defence plan.

Fot. PAP/Leszek Szymański / Warszawa, 25.04.2016. Minister obrony narodowej Antoni Macierewicz podpisuje koncepcję obrony terytorialnej kraju w CXXV Liceum Ogólnokształcącym im. Waldemara Milewicza w Warszawie, 25 bm. Koncepcja zakłada tworzenie oddziałów Obrony Terytorialnej Kraju, które będą liczyć docelowo do 35 tys. żołnierzy, a ich dostęp do broni będzie regulowany przepisami wojskowymi. (ukit) Fot. PAP/Leszek Szymański

Macierewicz, Monday in a Warsaw grammar school with militarised classes, said that territorial defence was a necessary component of modern-day armed forces and reminded that all NATO armies possessed territorial defence units. He added that in Poland's case the formation of such forces was warranted by Russia's behaviour.

"Modern armies require this component and all NATO armies have such structures, but (...) the decision is also warranted by the specific situation of (...) Poland, which is threatened by the activities of our north-eastern neighbour Russia", Macierewicz said.

He added that the planned territorial defence force would also serve as an element of patriotic education.

Macierewicz said that according to plan the first three territorial defence brigades were to be operational at the turn of 2017, with the force expected to embrace the whole country by 2019.

Poland's territorial defence force is to comprise 17 brigades, each numbering 1,500 to 2,500 troops. Poland's biggest province Mazowieckie is to house two brigades. (PAP)
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