Bucharest, January 14, 2025 – RBJ – For several weeks, the Polish press has been reporting details of an investigation into the careless loss of anti-tank mines by a military convoy. We are taking from the polskieradio.pl portal the still-unfinished information about this negligence.
The details of the operation were revealed in an interview with the Polish news outlet Onet by Lieutenant Michał Krawczyk, who now faces charges from the prosecutor’s office for improperly securing a military transport.
A shipment of anti-tank mines, capable of destroying two skyscrapers, was transported in the summer of last year from a military depot in Hajnówka, near the Ukrainian border in eastern Poland, to a warehouse in Mosty near Szczecin in western Poland, close to the German border.
While the shipment reached its destination, some of the cargo went missing. Inexperienced soldiers reportedly failed to account for crates containing 200 mines, which then left the depot and traveled for 10 days across Poland in a Polish State Railways (PKP) civilian freight car.
During the subsequent investigation, a private soldier committed suicide, with his colleagues linking his death directly to the incident, according to Onet.
Polish military mishandles anti-tank mines found at IKEA warehouse, lieutenant explains reasons
Onet journalists interviewed Lieutenant Michał Krawczyk, the officer responsible for the team tasked with securing the transport. Following his intervention, the missing mines were located in a rail car near an IKEA warehouse in Orla, a town in eastern Poland about 30 km from the Belarusian border.
Despite adhering to safety protocols to prevent disaster, Krawczyk was charged with temporary loss of military equipment and falsifying information in his orders.
He explained that he acted out of necessity to minimize risk, deliberately using a false reason for the mission in the orders to limit knowledge about the shipment. He also emphasized that the transport was prepared in accordance with international ADR standards for hazardous goods.
Resignation and charges: Polish officer speaks out about the mine incident
Lieutenant Krawczyk announced his resignation from military service effective January 31, 2025, citing a lack of support from his superiors and military prosecutors. “The honor of a soldier does not allow me to continue serving in this institution,” he said.
Last week, Poland dismissed Major General Artur Kępczyński, head of the Armed Forces Support Inspectorate. Although the reasons for his removal were not disclosed, the news outlet Wirtualna Polska reported that it was connected to the disappearance of the mines, which were ultimately found near the IKEA facility.
