Probe after Polish police chief injured by gift from Ukraine

Prosecutors have launched an investigation into an explosion at Poland's national police headquarters in which the country’s police chief was injured by a gift he received during a recent visit to Ukraine, officials said on Friday.

Jarosław Szymczyk.

PAP/Leszek Szymański

The incident took place on Wednesday morning, Polish state news agency PAP reported. 

Poland’s interior ministry said in a statement on Thursday: “Yesterday at 7:50 a.m. there was an explosion in a room next to the office of the police chief. One of the presents the police chief received during his working visit to Ukraine on December 11 and 12 exploded.”   

The ministry added that the police chief, Jarosław Szymczyk, had met with the heads of Ukraine’s police force and state emergency services during his visit and the gift was from one of those Ukrainian officials.

It did not specify what kind of gift Szymczyk received during his trip to Ukraine.

 Poland's National Police Headquarters (KGP) in Warsaw. Photo: PAP/Piotr Nowak

Police chief hospitalised with 'minor injuries'

The statement also said that Szymczyk was "taken to hospital with minor injuries" after the blast, the PAP news agency reported.

A civilian employee at Poland's National Police Headquarters (KGP) also suffered minor injuries, but did not require hospital treatment, according to officials.

“The Polish side has asked the Ukrainian side to provide an explanation,” the ministry said in its statement.

BREAKING:

The head of the Polish police, Jaroslaw Szymczyk, has been wounded and taken to hospital after an explosion in the national headquarters of the Polish police.

The object that exploded is a gift he received during a recent visit to Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/750zk9sLDo

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) December 15, 2022

⚡️The explosion at the Polish police headquarters was an accidental shot from a grenade launcher, Radio Zet reported, citing sources. The shot hit the ceiling.

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) December 15, 2022

Investigation under way

On Friday, the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw confirmed it had launched an investigation into the incident. 

Its spokesman, Marcin Saduś, told reporters that “due to the nature, location and character of the incident, it is not possible to provide information about the probe’s findings at this point,” as quoted by PAP.

Prokuratura Regionalna wszczęła śledztwo ws. eksplozji w KGP. "Status pokrzywdzonych mają aktualnie trzy osoby"https://t.co/kjrMwik1NA

— wPolityce.pl (@wPolityce_pl) December 15, 2022

Russian involvement?

Meanwhile, Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz said on Friday that "the causes of the explosion should be established," including "possible Russian involvement" in the incident.   

.@marcin_przydacz o wybuchu w KGP: nie możemy żadnego scenariusza wykluczyć. Chęć skłócenia Polski z Ukrainą jest jednym z celów rosyjskiej polityki zagranicznej.🎥🔻#SygnałyDnia
Oglądaj ▶️https://t.co/dpXUXcJ0w4 pic.twitter.com/CGiSsA61qS

— Jedynka – Program 1 Polskiego Radia (@RadiowaJedynka) December 16, 2022

Przydacz told public broadcaster Polish Radio: “Sowing discord between Poland and Ukraine is definitely one of the objectives of Russian foreign policy.”

He added, as quoted by Polish Radio’s IAR news agency: “Whether or not Moscow had a hand in this, this objective remains unchangeable for it."

(pm/gs)

Source: IAR, PAP, wpolityce.pl