Poland is holding the largest military parade since the Cold War today, Tuesday, in the capital, Warsaw. NATO member states will showcase their military forces, as the Polish government hopes this will send a message to Moscow and to voters ahead of the elections set for October.
The Armed Forces Day parade, marking the 103rd anniversary of Poland's victory over the Soviet Union in the Battle of Warsaw, will feature 2,000 soldiers from Poland and other NATO member countries. They will march through the Polish capital with 200 pieces of military equipment and 92 aircraft.
The procession will include equipment such as American M1A1 Abrams tanks, South Korean K2 tanks, K9 self-propelled howitzers, as well as HIMARS rocket launchers and Patriot air defense systems. Polish-made infantry vehicles, known as Borsuk, and Rosomak armored personnel carriers will also take part in the parade.
Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak noted on Sunday that "this parade will be different from previous ones; we will be able to see the evolution of the modernization of the Polish Army's equipment."
