Poland deploys new tank battalion near Belarusian border

The Polish Ministry of Defense reported the information.

It noted that Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak participated in the inauguration of a new military unit in Czartajew and met with the military of the newly created 1st Infantry Division.

A container town has already been deployed in the village, and in the coming years it is planned to build a permanent infrastructure. The armored brigade will be designed to conduct combat operations as part of a division or independently in various terrain and climatic conditions.

According to the Polish Ministry of Defense, the creation of this brigade will significantly enhance the combat capabilities of the country's armed forces in a key defense area.

"We are aware of the threats. We are well aware that the Kremlin rulers started the war because they want to rebuild the Russian Empire. This has always been dangerous for the neighboring peoples. Therefore, to prevent an attack on our homeland, we are strengthening the Polish army and creating new military units. This tank battalion here in the Siemiatycze district will be equipped with K2 tanks. These are modern tanks that were developed in the 21st century," the head of the Polish Defense Ministry emphasized. 

Photo: Polish Ministry of Defense

According to him, the military units being created as part of the 1st Infantry Division of the Legions will be equipped with modern weapons. 

Czartajew already has a container camp with the necessary social infrastructure, and the expansion of the permanent infrastructure is planned in the coming years. At the first stage of the unit's creation, over a hundred soldiers will be deployed here, and later - several hundred permanently. The unit will have modern equipment purchased for Poland in recent years - K2 tanks, Rak mortars, and Poprad air defense systems. 

Photo: Polish Ministry of Defense

The formation of the 1st Infantry Division began in September 2022. It will consist of 12 military units: 4 combined arms brigades, an artillery brigade, 4 military regiments and 3 specialized battalions. The division is planned to consist of over 30,000 soldiers.

• In August, Poland bolstered its border with Belarus by deploying 2,000 troops, a response heightened by the presence of Russian Wagner PMC mercenaries, and later with helicopters and tanks.
• On October 7, Polish Defense Minister revealed that several new military units, including air defense, engineering, and logistics, would be created in eastern Poland, near the border with Belarus and Ukraine.