President Nawrocki awards standard to Warsaw's 18th Territorial Defence Brigade, praises role of women in the military

Ceremony on Castle Square

President Karol Nawrocki, acting as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, presented the military standard to the 18th Capital Territorial Defence Brigade on Monday, 3 August, at Castle Square in Warsaw. The brigade, named after Brigadier General Antoni Chruściel "Monter" (commander of the Warsaw District of the Home Army during the Warsaw Uprising), is the youngest unit in the Masovian structures of the Territorial Defence Forces. The decision to form it was made in June 2022 as a direct response to the need for a specialised formation dedicated exclusively to the defence and support of the Warsaw agglomeration. The godparents of the standard were Maria Kołodziej, from the family of General Chruściel, and Lieutenant Colonel Jakub Nowakowski, codename "Tomek", a Home Army veteran and participant in the Warsaw Uprising.

The standard as a symbol of maturity

Deputy Defence Minister Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka compared the moment to a coming-of-age milestone. She noted that receiving the standard marks the brigade's full adulthood within the armed forces.

Gdyby ten dzisiejszy dzień przełożyć na język cywili to tak naprawdę dzisiaj 18. Brygada obchodzi swoją "osiemnastkę", bo moment, kiedy macie już swój sztandar jest momentem waszej pełnej dorosłości.

The standard bears four symbols: the coat of arms of Warsaw, the symbol of Fighting Poland, the brigade's commemorative badge, and a symbol referencing Our Lady of Grace, the patroness of the capital.

Women in the Territorial Defence Forces

Sobkowiak-Czarnecka emphasised the growing role of women in the Territorial Defence Forces, stating that one in five soldiers in the formation is now a woman. She pledged her personal support for women serving in the military.

Już co piąty z żołnierzy w tej formacji to kobieta. Składam pełne uznanie waszej odwadze, temu, że jesteście gotowe walczyć ramię w ramię i w razie potrzeby oddać życie.

She added that while all soldiers have her backing, women hold a special place. The deputy minister also addressed equipment procurement, stating that the government had secured financing through the SAFE mechanism, which delivered thousands of helmets, vests, and drones, and that she always consults soldiers when making purchasing decisions.

President's address and political criticism

President Nawrocki thanked the soldiers for their daily service and sacrifice, describing them as "always close and always ready." He cited their response to floods in Lower Silesia and a fire in Wołomin County as examples of their commitment. He also noted the unit's unique readiness to fight in dense, urbanised terrain in Warsaw.

Jesteście zawsze blisko i zawsze gotowi. Gdy jest powódź na Dolnym Śląsku, to tam jesteście i służycie drugiemu człowiekowi. Gdy jest pożar w powiecie wołomińskim - są tam Terytorialsi.

Nawrocki used the occasion to criticise political opponents who, he said, had opposed the creation of the Territorial Defence Forces after 2015 and the appointment of General Kukuła as its first commander in January 2017. He argued that these opponents acted out of party optics or under media influence. The president stated that Poles no longer question whether the Territorial Defence Forces are needed, and that the 18th Capital Brigade is proof of the value of prioritising state interest over party or media interest. He also linked the military to religious faith, declaring that an attack on God and the Catholic Church is an attack on the Polish Armed Forces.

Bóg, honor i ojczyzna. Tak, tam jest Bóg i tu są z nami ekscelencje. I walka z Bogiem i z Kościołem katolickim jest walką z Wojskiem Polskim, bo żołnierze polscy zawsze gromadzili się i dziś też gromadzą się wokół tej świętości.

Deputy minister's response

Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, present at the ceremony, acknowledged the past political disagreements over the formation of the Territorial Defence Forces but shifted the focus to the present. She argued that the real art lies not only in creating the WOT but in doing everything possible to ensure it functions as well as possible.