Poland refutes fake story about “Polish crews of Leopard 2 tanks being sent to Ukraine”

Russian propaganda is circulating an allegation that Polish tankers are being sacked for refusing to fight in Ukraine

Kremlin media, pro-war Telegram channels and Twitter accounts are distributing a video in which an alleged "Polish military blogger" says that Polish tankers are being fired en masse due to their refusal to fight in Ukraine.

In particular, the "blogger" says that 14 Leopard 2 tanks, which Poland is going to send to Ukraine, will be handed over along with Polish crews. Because of this, he alleges, the Polish army seems to be firing tankers.

This information was denied by the former commander of the Polish ground forces, ex-deputy minister of defense, General Waldemar Skrzypczak.

"Of course it's a fake. This is nonsense, as the Polish government never intended to transfer to Ukraine Leopard 2 tanks along with Polish crews. They wouldn't even be able to do it, as law prohibits it," the Polish general, who is a professional tanker, told Ukrinform in a comment.

According to him, "the script of this fake was designed in Moscow, and its authors are probably Peskov (spokesman for Putin - ed.) or Zakharova (spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia - ed.)", but no one in Poland would have invented such a thing, because it is an obvious violation of the country's legislation.

The Polish "expert" cited by Russian propaganda is signed Marcin Kubicki. Waldemar Skrzypczak noted that it was the first time he had heard of such a person.

The general also refutes the false information that the Polish crews of 14 Leopard 2 tanks, which the Polish government intends to transfer to Ukraine, are allegedly being discharged from the army.

Skrzypczak noted that Poland has its own crews for Leopard 2 tanks. They will also learn to service the American Abrams tanks and the South Korean K2 Black Panther, which have already begun to be accepted for service with the Polish army.

Tankers in the Polish army will be one of the most sought-after military specialties in the coming years, as last year Poland bought 366 Abrams tanks (new and used) from the US and about a thousand K2 Black Panther tanks from South Korea. So the Polish army will need even more experienced tankers.

Earlier, as part of military aid to Ukraine, Polish President Andrzej Duda announced the transfer of a company of 14 German-made Leopard 2 tanks. The Prime Minister of the country, Mateusz Morawiecki, said that the tanks will be eventually handed over to Ukraine even if Germany does not give its permission.

Andriy Olenin, Yuriy Banakhevych