Poland to offer basic military training to all citizens

The Polish Army is to offer a one-day basic training course to all its citizens aged between 18 and 65, the Ministry of Defence announced in Warsaw on Monday.

It said the course would include weapons’ handling, shooting, close combat and map reading and would be held in the 17 army bases on Saturdays in October and November.

The ministry said only Polish citizens would be eligible.

It added that the war in Ukraine had lent increased urgency to longstanding plans to increase the size of the Polish military.

According to the ministry, Voluntary military service has been introduced recently and employees of the postal service have been urged to undergo weapons’ training with the country’s Territorial Defence Force (WOT).

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The Polish military currently numbers 110,000, with an additional 30,000 men and women in the WOT.

The government aims to increase this figure to 250,000 professionals and 50,000 in the WOT. (dpa/NAN)