Gift from Ukraine explodes at Polish police headquarters

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A gift that Poland’s top police commander received during a recent visit to Ukraine exploded at national police headquarters in Warsaw, causing the commander and a civilian employee to suffer minor injuries, the Polish Interior Ministry said Thursday.

The explosion happened in a room next to the office of Gen. Jarosław Szymczyk on Wednesday morning, the ministry said. It did not specify what object the Polish commander had received during the working visit to Ukraine.

Szymczyk met with leaders of the Ukrainian police and emergency service on Sunday and Monday, the ministry said.

It said he has been in a hospital since Wednesday for observation, while the civilian employee did not require hospitalization.

Following the explosion, “the Polish side has asked the Ukrainian side to provide relevant explanations,” the ministry said.

Poland is an ally of Ukraine and has offered the neighboring country various kinds of support, including military and humanitarian aid, since Russia’s full-scale invasion on Feb. 24. Poland also has accepted a large number of Ukrainian refugees.

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up