Jaroslaw Szymczyk says he accidentally set off a grenade launcher given to him as a gift by Ukraine.
Image source, Getty ImagesPoland’s highest ranking police officer has confirmed to local media that he accidentally set off a grenade launcher given to him as a gift by Ukraine.
Jaroslaw Szymczyk suffered minor injuries on Wednesday after opening the present at his Warsaw offices.
A civilian member of staff was also hurt.
General Szymczyk has now spoken to a Polish broadcaster about the unusual incident – the first time specific details have been given.
He told RMF FM radio he received the present during his recent visit to Ukraine.
“When I was moving the used grenade launchers, which were gifts from the Ukrainians, there was an explosion,” General Szymczyk told the broadcaster. “The explosion was powerful – the force of the impact went through the floor and damaged the ceiling.”
The BBC has requested confirmation of the facts in the General’s interview from Polish police but has yet to receive a response.
The only official information made available so far about Wednesday’s incident was a brief statement from Poland’s interior ministry, which said that one of the gifts the police chief was given by a senior Ukrainian official during a working visit to Ukraine on December 11-12 had exploded. The ministry did not say what the gift was.
Kyiv has not yet made a public statement on the incident.
RMF FM’s report also cited anonymous sources, which said the two armour-penetrating grenade launchers were supposed to be an “unusual war gift” from the Ukrainians.
The report claims the Ukrainians said both launchers had already been used and did not contain explosives, which meant they could be taken across the border back to Poland. One of them is understood to have been turned into a loudspeaker for playing music.
Following reports of Wednesday’s incident, opposition politicians have questioned General Szymczyk’s suitability to lead the police force.
Tomasz Siemoniak, a former defence minister and current deputy leader of the main opposition party, Civic Platform, wrote on Twitter that the incident is “indefensible”.
“Heads must roll of those responsible for this situation and endangering life. And the commander has lost his capacity to lead the police.”
Meanwhile, mocking videos and images have appeared on social media, all on the theme of explosive mishaps.
“It is true we will not win the World Cup but thanks to the commander @PolishPolice we are favourite for the Darwin award,” Poland’s former foreign minister and current MEP, Radoslaw Sikorski, tweeted in reference to the football competition being held in Qatar.