Russia’s president Vladimir Putin is determined to reconstruct what he considers the be the glory of the former Soviet Union, and so he has tipped his hand in several ways. He has taken parts of the Crimea, and his claim that parts of Ukrain are rightly Russian territory of Russia due to large Russian populations within certain Ukrainian areas were excuses to annex parts of the country. He is also venturing into the Middle East, though truly his desire is for European territory and pathways to the Baltic and Black Seas and easy transport of Russian natural gas to world markets.
Poland is a major prize, but the Polish still remember the suffering and servitude under the former Soviet Union, and they are determined to not let that happen again. To that end they are relying on NATO and also preparing internally to reject Russian efforts to carve out pieces of their country, and to put in to place internal military and paramilitary groups that can fend off Russian aggression and “infiltration,” at least until NATO support can arrive to help.
Paramilitary groups are to be formed in Poland to enhance its military capabilities as part of the preparations for a possible ‘hybrid war’ with Russia, the Defense Ministry said.
“The territorial defense force is our response to the threat associated with hybrid warfare,” said Polish Defense Ministry official Grzegorz Kwasniak, who is responsible for the creation of the new paramilitary group.
The new force will comprise 35,000 civilian volunteers that will undergo military training. Each Polish province will then receive one brigade of the territorial defense force, consisting of volunteer battalions, with the biggest and most populous Mazovia province getting two brigades.
The eastern Polish provinces of Podlachia, Lublin and Podkarpachie will have priority in deployment of the paramilitary units as they are deemed to be most exposed to the perceived Russian aggression.
“Enrollment of the first members of the territorial defense force will start in September,” Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz said on Thursday at a conference of paramilitary organizations in the northern Polish town of Ostroda, AFP reports. He also said the group’s command structure and senior appointments had already been decided in April, as reported by the Polish PAP news agency.
The personnel of the newly formed paramilitary units will receive a monthly payment amounting to 500 zlotys (€125), according to dpa.
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GROM will put a dent in Those Russian forces! They may not win but they’ll make Crazy Ivan pay dearly for the ground they take!
Joseph, good for you, you never saw a polish troop. Guess what? I did in A-Stan, and they were good soldiers. The USSR would have a hard time defeating this seasoned force.
The last good democrat was Kennedy and the last good Republican was Regan since then its been shakey. Had a war hero who was the head of the C.I.A. is believed to have the knowledge of what Area 51 secrets are. Then a playboy womanizer who could have had Osama bin Laden right after the Cole bombing who lied to Congress was impeached rightly so and probably should have resigned before all the sordid stuff got out and if not for Ross Perot wouldn’t have been elected anyway. Then we got the good old boy from Texas a fine gentleman who just wanted to follow in dads footsteps and got caught up in the 911 attack and at struck at the right target Afghanistan and bin Laden but then went after Sadam Husein for why who really knows could have been because ole Saddam tried to kill his dad who knows. Now we are coming to the end of Obamas era and if anyone thinks we are heading the right direction Lord bless their souls. Now we have a party who’s nominee is about as unethical of an individual that ever appeared on the political scene. A proven liar and criminal guilty of violation of Esponiage laws as proven by the FBI yet the corrupt democrat machine refuses to indict WTF? And on the other side a rich real estate mogul that the left and even some on the right are against because they can’t control him and they are affraid he might bust up the good old boys club. Funny thing about the guy he has been saying the same stuff for a long time even before he ever considered running. The thing about him is his loyalty to his people and the way they feel about him goes along way to reveal whats in a mans heart but he surrounds himself with the best of the best not political hacks and he hasn’t gone to bed while people who worked for him were fighting for their lives in some sand box mess he created because he wanted to get rid of one of the last dictators in the region damn!!! Give me a break you of the party that gave birth to the KKK. Guess this time around I’m going with the party that formed in the first place to free the slaves.
Jeff all I heard was$#%&!@*coming out of ur mouth wake the$#%&!@*up son or die on ur knees begging to live long live America long live our constitution
Here are facts. The US has 2 battalions and just sent a 3rd into that region to bolster the Baltics. The last left Ft. Bliss just this last week. This is due to a comment Obama made to Estonia to help maintain their sovereignty
Andrzej Michal Holynski
Look at em with their wee little bayonets.
Let me get this straight. Polish volunteer civilian forces are going to stop the Russian Army? This is as stupid as the UN being an invading force… Let’s hope the Poles are not completely militarily inept…
Karol Michalik
Agata Zieleniak