WARSAW, Poland — On Tuesday, Polish prosecutors announced they are deliberating whether to initiate a criminal probe into an outdoor exhibition that showcased damaged Russian military vehicles in 2022. This consideration follows the discovery of live explosives within one of the vehicles displayed.
The exhibition included a damaged T-72 tank, a self-propelled howitzer, and components of Russian missile systems. These military artifacts were transported to Poland from the Ukrainian battlefields a few months post the Russian invasion that began in February 2022. During a recent inventory check, officials found live grenades and ammunition hidden inside one of the exhibited vehicles, which had likely remained there since the combat operations in Ukraine. Since the exhibition’s conclusion, the military hardware has been stored securely.
These vehicles were brought into Poland by the former administration, which was replaced at the end of 2023. A thorough inventory was carried out under the direction of the newly appointed management at the Government Agency of Strategic Reserves. This current administration has filed a complaint with prosecutors in Warsaw, requesting an investigation into those responsible for not executing proper safety inspections of the military vehicles.
According to Jan Jalowczyk from the strategic reserves agency, the potential consequences of a tragic incident, such as an explosion, are alarming, especially given that large crowds, including families and children, had attended the exhibition. If public safety is jeopardized, the responsible individuals could face prison sentences of up to eight years. As part of precautionary measures, sappers have secured the explosives but have not yet neutralized them amid the ongoing investigation.
The exhibition entitled “For Our Freedom and Yours” was organized by the prior government in collaboration with Ukrainian officials, aiming to boost morale by demonstrating the potential for defeating Russia, which initiated its attack months prior. The displays were featured in multiple cities, including Warsaw, Pozna?, and Gda?sk, and were part of a military equipment fair in Kielce. There were also plans for the exhibition to extend to Brussels.
Additionally, prosecutors are investigating accusations regarding alleged financial mismanagement by the previous administration, specifically that approximately 700 million zlotys (around $176 million) were improperly allocated for transporting the military vehicles across Poland, a responsibility that purportedly lies outside the agency’s mandate.
