I'd just like to point out that it wasn't just any hot day, but the hottest day of 2023 and the hottest Polish Army Day in 30 years. I remember reading that on that day Spain and Poland were the countries with the highest temperatures in Europe.
It looks like this parade made it into international news:
'"Poland shares borders not just with Ukraine and Belarus, but also with Russia's semi-exclave of Kaliningrad. By staging a massive showcase of power on Tuesday, Warsaw is sending a message Russia and Belarus are bound to understand, experts said.
"It's sort of a Soviet thing to do. Russia does theirs on May 8, Belarusians have them, as does North Korea, Iran. It's kind of reflecting back their language. The adversary states see these [parades] as a show of force, so Poland is going to meet it with a show of force," Edward Arnold, a research fellow at the British security think tank RUSI, told CNN.'
I liked that idea with GROM soldiers "gliding" in the air on parachutes with Polish flags attached to them
To be more precise - it was the flag of Poland, Polish president's pennant and the flag of Polish Special Forces:
Major preparations for military parade. Major difficulties in Warsaw The parade on the occasion of Polish Armed Forces Day will cause traffic disruptions on access roads to Warsaw, as well as in the capital itself - informs the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways. Due to the need to transport equipment and conduct the parade itself, some streets will be closed. GDDKiA has marked out detours.
The parade was the same as last year except they have shown new weapons.
See it here: youtube.com/watch?v=FQvAJoyQLDA
A novelty - one tank bore an inscription on its barrel to honour the soldier stabbed to death by a migrant at the border: Another novelty - weapons that Poland has ordered just recently were driven by foreign crews. Hence, Abrams tanks were carrying big US flags and had desert camouflage.
Don`t be so fast with quoting - I removed new coz those Abrams are second hand. That`s the emergency contingent while we have ordered 250 completely new ones, too.
Alien, it is Romanian, indeed. But it is a real riddle for me now. Were they riding a vehicle which the Polish army is going to buy or were they just performing as allies??? Strange. I can`t find it on the net.
Yes, I checked the armament of the Romanian army and they indeed possess Gepards which Poland hasn`t ordered. It means Romanian soldiers appeared as allies in Warsaw. Amasing!!!
In communist times it was celebrated on 12th October,
Also, at the time, the military service lasted 2 years with one exception: 3 years in the Navy. E.g, one Polish Prime Ministers, ex communist and then leftist politician Miller, did the service in a submarine squadron. He always repeated it had made him a tough guy.
"Young people in Poland should be aware that the government is preparing to introduce large-scale military training for all adult men, with the aim of significantly expanding the country's reserve forces in response to growing security threats from Russia and Belarus. While this initiative is not a full return to compulsory military service yet, top Polish military officials have described the reinstatement of conscription as "inevitable" in order to build up the number of reservists to a level comparable to countries like Finland.
If you are considering moving to another EU country to avoid possible future conscription, keep in mind that Polish authorities could still require you to fulfill your obligations as a Polish citizen. If you are called up and do not respond, you could face legal consequences under Polish law, and a warrant for your arrest could be issued, potentially restricting your ability to travel within the EU.
Extradition for evading military service is rare, but unresolved obligations may bar you from returning to Poland or complicate your legal status in the EU."
