Security breaches hit International Defence Industry Exhibition in Kielce

Chemical spill at Israeli stands

Emergency services responded to an incident on Wednesday, 9 September 2026, at the 34th International Defence Industry Exhibition at Targi Kielce. First responders identified an intense, foul-smelling liquid poured across the carpeting in an exhibition hall housing booths operated by Israeli defence companies. State firefighters, civilian police, and the Military Gendarmerie secured the premises and cordoned off the affected section with safety tape. Emergency personnel ventilated the exhibition space while specialized firefighting units extracted liquid samples for laboratory analysis. Preliminary field assessments suggested the spilled substance was butyric acid, though authorities withheld official confirmation pending laboratory testing. Security teams noted that no injuries were confirmed on site, but the hall required continuous ventilation. The incident followed a similar chemical disruption that took place during the 2025 edition of the defence exhibition.

Ammunition intercepted at venue entrance

The chemical deployment followed an earlier security incident on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, when security guards detained a Ukrainian citizen attempting to pass through an entrance checkpoint. Security personnel intercepted the individual, identified as 43 or 44 years of age depending on the reporting, after suspecting he carried dangerous items around 11:00. Officers from the Kielce Voivodeship Police arrived at the gate at 11:30 and confiscated a handgun magazine loaded with live ammunition. Police press officer Artur Majchrzak confirmed the Tuesday detention, noting that security staff identified the risk during routine checks.

Officers were dispatched immediately and determined that a 43-year-old Ukrainian citizen attempted to enter the fairgrounds carrying several pieces of ammunition.

Inquiries revealed that the suspect had entered Poland on Monday, 7 September 2026, serving as a driver for two Ukrainian executives whose enterprise was participating as an exhibitor. Police personnel searched the vehicle used by the delegation, confirming that no firearms, extra ammunition, or hazardous items were present in the car.

Legal proceedings and ongoing searches

The Tuesday checkpoint interception took place shortly before the official opening ceremony, which featured an inaugural address by Polish Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. Polish President Karol Nawrocki also addressed attendees at the event later that day, though authorities did not confirm whether he was already present on site during the checkpoint interception. Following his detention, the Ukrainian driver was transferred to a police holding facility, where he declined to provide explanations regarding his motives or the origin of the bullets.

We are establishing how he acquired the ammunition, what his objective was, and why he intended to bring it inside.

Prosecutors initiated proceedings against the driver for unlawful ammunition possession, while police alerted the Polish Border Guard to initiate administrative procedures that typically result in deportation. Concurrently, Polish security agencies and military police continue to search for the individual or individuals responsible for spilling the chemical liquid at the Israeli exhibit area on Wednesday.