The Operational Command reported that on Tuesday, August 27, before 7:00 PM, an accident involving soldiers guarding the Polish-Belarusian border in Podlasie occurred.
During the handover of weapons during a post change, uncontrolled shots were fired from a service weapon, resulting in one soldier from the 1st Tank Battalion in Żurawica / 18th Mechanized Division being shot in the leg
- the report stated. Another serviceman was also injured, sustaining a finger injury. According to reports from Polish Radio Białystok, the prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the incident.
Prosecutor's Office to Investigate the Shots at the Polish-Belarusian Border. What Led to the Situation?
Investigators will examine the "careless handling of firearms" by the soldiers. According to PAP reports, the incident may have occurred due to the weapon jamming during unloading. In this scenario, the soldiers allegedly attempted to fix the weapon, leading to the uncontrolled shots.
According to Article 354, paragraph 1 of the Penal Code, "a soldier who carelessly handles military weapons, ammunition, explosives, or other combat means, or uses them carelessly and thereby unintentionally causes bodily harm or health impairment to another person, is subject to military detention or imprisonment for up to three years".
Soldiers Taken to Hospitals. Their Lives Are Not in Danger
As reported by the Operational Command, the soldiers were transported by LPR helicopter to hospitals in Białystok and Hajnówka. According to Polish Radio Białystok, one of them was later transferred from Hajnówka to Warsaw. However, their lives are not in danger, and no third parties were involved in the incident. The families of the injured soldiers have been informed about the accident and are receiving psychological support.
