Fearful of Russian aggression, Poles flock to military training

Six kilometres from the Russian border in northern Poland, office worker Agnieszka Jedruszak is digging a trench. Driven by fear of war with Russia, she wants to be ready to protect her family, including her 13-year-old son.

Thousands of Poles like Jedruszak are signing up for voluntary military training as the army looks to strengthen its ranks with both professional soldiers and civilian volunteers amidst mounting anxiety over Moscow’s aggression.

“I’d do anything to keep my child safe. And I would certainly fight to protect him,” said Jedruszak, dressed in fatigues with her face painted in camouflage.

For many Poles — whose nation lived under Soviet domination for decades — the threat of Russia looms large. Those fears deepened further after Poland shot down Russian drones over its territory last week, the first time a NATO member has used weapons in response to Moscow’s war on Ukraine.

The Kremlin has brushed off Western concerns as “emotional overload”, insisting it poses no threat, and declined to comment on the drone incident.

Jedruszak’s training took place in Braniewo, at a site where South Korean K-2 tanks roar across sandy terrain and forests. Poland ordered 180 of these tanks in 2022 as part of its sweeping defence deal with Seoul.

Although she tries to carry on with daily life, Jedruszak admitted she is preparing for “a new reality”. “It’s always in the back of my mind that something could happen,” said the 36-year-old, speaking before the latest drone incursion.

Surge in volunteer training

According to Colonel Grzegorz Wawrzynkiewicz, head of the Central Military Recruitment Centre, more than 20,000 Poles joined voluntary training in the first seven months of 2025, matching last year’s record levels. He expects 40,000 to complete the programme by year’s end — more than double the 16,000 in 2022 — reflecting heightened engagement since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Since 2022, Poland has more than doubled defence spending from 2.2% of GDP to 4.7% this year, the highest ratio in NATO. This far outpaces major European powers such as Germany, France and Britain.

The return of Donald Trump to the White House — and his scepticism over defending NATO allies — has further stoked European worries about U.S. security commitments. Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who grew up under communist rule, has been urging Europe to assume more responsibility for its own defence.

“Countries with no memory of Soviet occupation find it harder to grasp what we are fighting to prevent,” said Gustav Gressel, a defence policy expert at Vienna’s National Defence Academy.

Defensive build-up in the east

In May 2024, Poland began building its 400-mile “East Shield” along borders with Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad enclave. The system combines anti-tank barriers, surveillance, and electronic warfare equipment.

Military units are being redeployed eastward to recruit locally. “People will be serving where they are defending their own homes,” said Deputy Defence Minister Pawel Zalewski.

Recruitment is being tied to job creation in poorer regions, officials say. Volunteers undergo flexible training that does not automatically commit them to combat. They can choose to join the regular army, part-time Territorial Defence Forces (WOT), or remain in reserve.

WOT members typically serve in their home areas and can be called up for emergencies ranging from natural disasters to border crises — such as the migrant standoff with Belarus in 2021.

Deputy Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk told Reuters that human resources remain essential even in an age of advanced technology. “When war or the threat of war comes, the basics matter most: fuel, ammunition, and people.”

Poland’s growing military footprint

Poland now has NATO’s third-largest army, behind only the United States and Türkiye, with 216,000 personnel. President Vladimir Putin has expanded Russia’s army to 1.5 million, but Warsaw has nevertheless doubled its numbers since 2014 and plans a further one-third increase within the decade.

Demographic decline remains a challenge, yet Poland hopes its initiatives will keep recruitment high.

While Finland and the Baltic states have also grown their forces, larger Western powers lag behind. Germany has over 20,000 unfilled posts, with its Bundeswehr numbering 180,000 against a target of 260,000. Britain’s army has shrunk to just 71,000 — its smallest size in over 300 years.

Gressel argues Eastern Europeans remain more ready to fight: “They are more willing because they know they cannot simply run away.”

Europe’s reliance on the U.S.

Trump’s criticism of NATO and opposition to Ukraine’s membership has forced allies to rethink defence strategies. European nations have boosted military budgets and launched regional initiatives such as SAFE.

Yet an Atlantic Council study in June concluded that NATO still relies heavily on U.S. capabilities for jets, missiles and air defence. American technology also leads in emerging fields like drones, AI, and satellites.

Unlike Russia, most European armies lack strong reserve forces, limiting their ability to endure long conflicts. “Every war proves reserves decide the outcome — especially in the long run,” said Colonel Pawel Wronka of Poland’s General Staff.

In February, Tusk unveiled a programme offering voluntary military and civil defence training, with the aim of preparing 100,000 volunteers by 2027.

NATO officials estimate Russia would need several years to be ready for a full confrontation with the West. Zalewski says Poland is planning for both present and future threats: “We are ready for the dangers that exist today, and we are preparing for the dangers that will exist tomorrow.”

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