Polish civilians train alongside army

Civilians in the Polish city of Gdynia joined military training over the weekend, as part of a nationwide programme to boost defence readiness amid growing regional tensions.

A group of civilians from Poland's city of Gdynia have spent the weekend training in military techniques as part of a program called "Train with the Army," organized by the country's Ministry of Defence.

This is the sixth edition of the programme that was initiated in 2022 and included training courses in various locations across the country.

Each course lasts for two months and consists of lessons on using weapons, personal defence techniques, learning how weapons are constructed, survival basics, and first aid.

Last month, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the government wants to launch a new programme to offer voluntary military training from next year, with a target to train 100,000 volunteers in 2027.

Galvanised by Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine three years ago, Poland now spends a higher proportion of GDP on defence than any other NATO member.

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