Rzeszow is the dropping off point for all aid and hardware to Ukraine and is 62 miles from the border. Troops have been training Poles in air defence for almost a year. ![]() The prince met a taxi driver and a college student, both Polish volunteers in the TDF, who told him about how they balanced their outside work with their military service.īritish forces are training Polish counterparts bolstering defences after Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine on February 24 last year became a national call to arms for scores of ordinary Poles, who, appalled by the attack on their neighbour, rushed to offer their services to the military. 'I am very excited about that and it is a great moment for me.'įounded in 2017, the Territorial Defence Force – Poland's equivalent of Britain's Territorial Army – is made up of professional soldiers and part-time volunteers, who join military service to bolster national defences and protect their local communities. 'We have been training the Ukrainian soldiers in order to teach them how to use this.'Īsked what William's visit meant to him, he said: 'It is great that our work and our effort is visible to the world. 'It is very important equipment which Poland donated at the beginning of the war to the Ukraine, we delivered a few batteries then. Major Przemyslaw Garema, 35, a professional soldier in the brigade, showed the prince the enormous artillery machine. He was shown a vast array of military equipment, including a Polish self-propelled howitzer artillery system that had a British turret. The prince spent time speaking to Mr Blaszczak and local dignitaries before meeting several groups of British and Polish troops to hear about their work supporting Ukraine. The deputy prime minister gave a speech in which he expressed his gratitude for the co-operation between British and Polish troops. William donned his uniform and smiled as he met children during St Patrick's Day celebrations last week 'The reason he has come is to show his support as he does to many military deployments as he can.'Įarlier today the prince paid a surprise visit to Poland's 3rd Brigade Territorial Defence Force at a military base in Rzeszów. 'It's absolutely welcome and we are privileged to host His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. ![]() Major Richard Kaye, of The Royal Artillery, said 'We are here to protect critical national infrastructure in the region in support of the West's ongoing support to Ukraine. They described how they spent 26 weeks training to use the Sky Sabre kit. The prince spent 20 minutes speaking with service personnel inside a military tent. 'And everything you are doing with our Polish counterparts in providing that safety is really important, so thank you for your time, lovely to meet you all and good luck.' 'But you are doing a really good job out here, defending our freedoms is really important and everyone back home thoroughly supports you. 'I know some of you are coming to the end of your time out here so looking forward to a bit of R and R when you get home. 'So just a big thank you for what you do on a day-to-day basis. ![]() Thank you for hosting me today, I just wanted to come here in person to say thank you for all that you are doing, keeping everyone safe out here and keeping an eye on what's going on. Speaking without a script, he told the assembled troops: 'I know how busy you all are. Dressed casually in a black puffer jacket, shirt and navy trousers, William addressed the soldiers in the shadow of two fully armed missile launchers.
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