Why is Poland arming itself and expanding its army? Out of fear of Russia’s aggressive policies — at least, that’s what most people along the Vistula believe. But what narrative are people being told along the Volga?
It is no secret that Poland, like other NATO members, has been strengthening its armed forces and expanding its military capabilities. However, because of its geographic position and the growing threat from Russia, Poland has been doing so more intensively than most other countries. With over 212,000 active troops, it now has the third-largest army in the Alliance.
In an interview with Rzeczpospolita, Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak Kamysz recently announced plans for a new system of voluntary defence training, expected to begin in early 2026, which could eventually raise the total number of personnel to more than half a million.
“Our army is the third largest in the North Atlantic Alliance in terms of troop numbers. But our goal is even more ambitious — to be among the top NATO countries in operational capabilities within the next five years. These capabilities are just as important as the size of the Polish Army,” said the defence minister during Polish Army Day celebrations.
At the same time, Poland continues to acquire advanced weaponry. In October, Warsaw received U.S. approval to purchase AIM-120 AMRAAM air to-air missiles for its F-35 fighter jets — a capability previously reserved for the United States itself.
“Poland is the only country outside the United States to receive such an opportunity,” the Minister of Defence emphasised.
In March 2025, Prime Minister Donald Tusk also announced the start of preparations for large-scale military training for all adult men in Poland. The pilot programme is scheduled to begin in November. The Ministry of National Defence plans to train several thousand people by the end of the year and up to 30,000 next year. Participants can choose courses lasting from one to 30 days, covering weapons handling, drone operation, first aid, and survival skills. Graduates will receive reservist status.
Moscow has seized on these developments to spread misleading narratives. Earlier this month, the Russian news outlet Podmoskovye Segodnya (“Moscow Region Today”) cited political analyst Aleksandr Perendzhiev, who claimed that Poland was reinforcing troops along its border with Germany and “considering a possible conflict with Berlin.” According to him, Warsaw fears Germany could attempt to “reclaim former East Prussian territories.” .
According to a statement by Poland’s National Security Bureau, the aim of this deployment was to “ensure the inviolability of the state border and maintain security and public order within the areas of border crossings and the border zone with the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Lithuania.”
Poland’s deployment of troops near the German and Lithuanian borders, is clearly aimed at securing border crossings and responding to migration pressures, just as Poland’s military build-up is connected to the Russian threat. But not according to the Russian analyst and the media amplifying his words.
Perendzhiev claimed that “Poland has recently been reinforcing its troops along the Polish-German border. Warsaw is seriously considering the possibility of a conflict with Germany.”
He argued that this supposed threat stemmed from “revanchist sentiments in Germany.”
“At present, there are certain crises within the European Union, and Poland fears that Germany may try to reclaim the former East Prussian territories that were transferred to Poland after the end of World War II,” Perendzhiev concluded.
These claims have since been repeated by other Russian media, including gazeta.ru, which ran the headline: “Expert Reveals Poland’s Preparations for War with Germany.” (Эксперт рассказал о подготовке Польши к войне с Германией).
”The original headline read: “Poland is strengthening its army — and it’s not about Russia: Who is Warsaw really afraid of? Political analyst Perendzhiev: Poland is preparing for a possible conflict with Germany” (Польша усиливает армию — и дело не в России: кого боится Варшава на самом деле. Политолог Перенджиев: Польша готовится к возможному конфликту с Германией).
This type of disinformation is primarily aimed at Russian audiences. Its goal is to convince them — or reinforce their belief — that NATO and the EU are weak, divided, and internally conflicted. That perception allows the Kremlin to justify its aggressive policies and maintain public support for its confrontational stance toward the West.
By I.H.
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