Poland is preparing evacuation plans amid fears that the war in Ukraine could spread

Poland’s government is preparing evacuation plans in the event of an attack, amid concerns over the course of the war in Ukraine and the risk that a possible Russian victory could encourage Moscow to expand its military ambitions toward Western Europe. Poland’s Interior Minister, Marcin Kierwiński, told the daily Rzeczpospolita on Thursday that Ukraine’s defeat would be a “dark scenario for all of Europe.”

Kierwiński said local authorities must have evacuation plans, while such emergency response plans have already been drawn up at the national level. According to the minister, the effectiveness of the measures will depend on the capacity of the entire defense and emergency response system.

The official also warned of possible repeated provocations near the Polish border, including attempted attacks or Russian aircraft entering the country’s airspace—incidents that could later be presented as accidents.

Meanwhile, Poland is modernizing the Government Security Centre’s alert system and preparing a smartphone application dedicated to security alerts. Existing systems are to be integrated so that the public can receive information more quickly in crisis situations. The measures are being adopted as Poland, a NATO member and neighbor of Ukraine, considers that the war on its eastern border could have direct consequences for national security.