Poland Holds Large-Scale Military Parade for Armed Forces Day

Reference News Network reported on August 18 According to the Russian newspaper "Izvestia" website on August 16, on August 15, Poland held the largest military parade in its history in Warsaw to commemorate the 106th anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw in 1920.

The parade was reviewed by Polish President Karol Nawrocki. About 2,000 soldiers marched in formation, showcasing over 300 pieces of domestically produced Polish equipment, including self-propelled howitzers, mortars, portable air defense missile systems, armored vehicles, and infantry fighting vehicles. Nearly 60 drones took to the sky. F-35A fighter jets flew over Warsaw for the first time, painting the sky in the colors of the Polish flag.

On the same day, a naval parade was held in Gdynia, with over 20 warships participating. Both parades had the slogan "Safe Poland."

The Polish Ministry of Defense stated on August 13 that Ukrainian authorities were not invited to the Warsaw parade. Soldiers from the United States, Canada, Australia, Lithuania, Estonia, Sweden, Romania, and other countries participated in the parade. The French military delegation was the largest.

According to a report by DPA on August 15, against the backdrop of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Poland commemorated its annual Armed Forces Day on the 15th, with the parade and modern military equipment extending for several kilometers.

According to the Polish Press Agency, about 2,000 soldiers marched in formation in the center of Warsaw. Many types of vehicles and military equipment were also present at the parade, including the modern South Korean K2 "Black Panther" tank.

Reports indicate that the aircraft and helicopters flying over Warsaw included three German Air Force fighter jets, demonstrating the unity of NATO allies. Poland has been a NATO member since 1999.

President Nawrocki stated that Poland is very aware of the price it paid for independence and noted that this history helps to accurately assess current threats.

August 15 is the day Poland commemorates the 1920 Battle of Warsaw, during which Poland repelled the Soviet Russian army. The Polish-Soviet War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Riga in 1921. Since 1992, August 15 has been designated as Poland's Armed Forces Day.

The slogan for this year's celebrations is "Safe Poland," referring to the EU's "European Security Action" tool plan passed last year. Through this plan, the EU will provide up to 150 billion euros in long-term loans to strengthen Europe's defense capabilities and support the defense industry. Poland is the largest single beneficiary of the "European Security Action" tool plan, having received an allocation of nearly 44 billion euros. (Translated by Wei Lianglei and Yang Xinpeng)