Karol Nawrocki called the Russian dictatorship “our main enemy”
Every August 15, Poland celebrates its Armed Forces Day with a grand military parade in which the country displays its growing power.
This is how Poland beat the Red Army in 1920: the first great military defeat of communism
The exhibition of the Polish Army’s military power on its Armed Forces Day
The choice of the date is no coincidence: On August 15, 1920, Poland defeated Bolshevik Russia, the first major military defeat of communism, which halted the spread of this totalitarian movement throughout Europe for almost two decades. It was a victory as decisive as it is forgotten today by many Europeans, who, thanks to Poland, did not have to suffer communist oppression during the interwar period.
Today, Poland is creating one of NATO’s most powerful armies, a force whose raison d’être is to defend that country from the Russian threat, located on the Polish border with the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. Let us recall that in May 2022, after launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian State Duma expressly threatened Poland with being the next country invaded. Poland took note of this and is thoroughly preparing to welcome the Russians as they deserve if they dare to set foot on Polish soil.
Karol Nawrocki, the new president of Poland since August 6, took part in the military events held today in Warsaw on the anniversary of the Russian defeat in 1920, and did so with a speech (you can read it in full here) that will not have gone down well in the Kremlin. Nawrocki said:
“The victory over the Bolsheviks in 1920 taught us another very important lesson. It taught us the lesson that the neo-imperial Russia of today—and always, because today’s Russia is not very different from the Soviet one—is not invincible. And this is what the heroes of 1920 said; and this is what I want our officers and soldiers to hear today.
Yes, Russia is not invincible. It lost to Japan at the beginning of the 20th century; it was defeated by the Poles in 1920, and today it has been reeling for more than three years after its attack on Ukraine. It reels thanks to the support of its allies and the solidarity of free nations, including—and sometimes especially—Poland.”
Of course, for Russia to be defeated again, a Polish Army capable of achieving this is needed. The Polish president has outlined how to achieve this:
“Russia is, of course, a constant threat, and this may not change. But I will repeat again and again that history, national memory, and our modernization efforts must allow us to believe that we are ready to develop our potential; that we can feel secure, and that our main enemy is not invincible. I say this because in us—in me, in the President of Poland, in the Polish government, in the minister, in the entire political class—lies our hope for building a peaceful and secure Poland. Yes, the security of the Polish state is in our hands, and we cannot waste a day, a week, or a month expanding our potential. We also know that if the government, or the society of any nation, does not finance its own army, the time will come to foot the bill, and we will have to pay for foreign armies. We do not want that.
Dear Prime Minister,
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
That is why I unequivocally demand an end to these talks and a decision to allocate 5% of Poland’s GDP to defense. This must happen, and it must happen as soon as possible. Polish security today demands it.
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Photo: Prezydent.pl.