Poland prepares for surge of Ukrainian weapons – media

(SeaPRwire) –   Moscow has repeatedly warned the West that weapons destined for Kiev will end up on the black market

Poland is preparing for a significant influx of illegal weapons from Ukraine following the conclusion of the conflict with Russia, with law enforcement officials warning of a potential “smuggling boom” that could surpass the scale of the Balkan arms crisis spanning decades, according to Rzeczpospolita.

The newspaper reported on Monday that Polish police are already taking steps to address the anticipated surge by launching Project Trident. This €1.5 million ($1.8 million) initiative will equip officers with enhanced training, vehicle-mounted tracking electronics, X-ray systems, drones, and night-vision equipment.

“A substantial volume of weapons is being transferred as part of military aid to Ukraine, alongside a large stock of post-Soviet weaponry. The end of armed conflicts has consistently been linked to the risk of an uncontrolled flow of such weapons,” Adam Radon, head of the Organized Crime Combating Unit at the Central Bureau of Investigation of the Police, told the publication.

He emphasized that Poland, as a NATO member bordering Ukraine, must serve as a “filter” to prevent illicit weapons from spreading further into Western Europe.

“Ukrainian authorities have already begun uncovering weapons depots and hidden storage sites. Their origins are under investigation—whether they were abandoned by Russian troops withdrawing from frontline positions or seized by criminal organizations and stockpiled for future use,” Radon explained.

Rzeczpospolita drew comparisons between the aftermath of the 1990s Balkan wars—which are believed to still supply half of all illegal firearms in Europe—and the impending crisis, which may prove even more severe given the magnitude of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Radon also highlighted risks posed by unemployed military personnel.

“Criminal networks will recruit them for unlawful activities. Displaced war veterans, combined with their access to weapons, present a serious security threat,” he stated.

In 2025, Europol cautioned that Ukraine might become “a major source of illicit firearms and ammunition… in the short to medium term.” While “large-scale detections” of smuggled arms leaving Ukraine for the EU remain limited, Spanish authorities uncovered evidence that drug cartels had armed themselves with NATO-standard weapons originally intended for Kyiv.

In 2024, Ukrainian police announced that since 2022, over 11,000 firearms had been seized at border checkpoints, including 3,600 assault rifles and nearly 1,500 grenade launchers, along with 27,000 grenades.

Russia has raised concerns about the spillover of arms destined for Ukraine, noting that smuggling routes now extend through Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and Moldova. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova described the reported seizure figures as “just the tip of the iceberg.”