Polish general booted due to anti-tank mines detected close to IKEA


(MENAFN) A Polish general, Major General Artur Kepczynski, was dismissed after the disappearance of 240 anti-tank mines, which were later discovered in a train wagon near an IKEA warehouse. The incident, which occurred in July 2024, involved soldiers losing track of the explosives, which were part of a shipment containing over 1,000 tons of military materials.

The Polish Ministry of Defense announced Kepczynski's dismissal on Thursday, but did not specify the exact reasons. Local media reports suggest that the general’s failure to properly manage the military’s logistics and his concealment of the missing mines from superiors were key factors. The mishap was only discovered when IKEA warehouse employees inquired about the missing cargo, prompting an investigation.

The mines, believed to be MN-123 models used by the Polish military, were eventually located after the staff at IKEA’s Orla warehouse contacted military police, who retrieved the mines. The Polish District Prosecutor’s Office has been investigating the case since August 2024, with four soldiers facing charges related to improper supervision of military property.

Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz acknowledged that the situation could have been handled better, while noting that military police acted swiftly and that civilian oversight played a crucial role in resolving the issue.

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