On All Saints’ Day, a time for reflection at the graves of loved ones, Poland paused to remember those who gave their lives for the nation. Among them was the late Sergeant Mateusz Sitek, honored by Poland’s 18th Mechanized Division, known as the Iron Division, for his ultimate sacrifice.
“Today, we mournfully commemorated Sgt. Mateusz Sitek, who died defending Poland’s border with Belarus,” the Iron Division shared. “A delegation from Operation #SafePodlasie, led by Major General Arkadiusz Szkutnik, lit a candle at the site of his death and paid respects at his grave.”
Sergeant Sitek, who would have turned 21 on October 19, lost his life on duty in June, during an altercation with a migrant at Poland’s eastern border. The young soldier, serving with the 1st Warsaw Armored Brigade, was fatally wounded, despite efforts to save his life at the Military Medical Institute in Warsaw.
Sitek’s memory lives on with a newly erected gravestone, designed by Granity Skwara, which bears the inscription: “Here rests a soldier who died defending Poland’s borders.” The company expressed gratitude for the honor of creating a lasting tribute to the young hero, who has come to symbolize Poland’s struggle to secure its borders amid geopolitical tensions.
Dziś z głębokim smutkiem uczciliśmy pamięć sierż. Mateusza Sitka, który oddał życie, broniąc granicy 🇵🇱-🇧🇾. Delegacja operacji #BezpiecznePodlasie, na czele z dowódcą gen. dyw. Arkadiuszem Szkutnikiem, zapaliła znicz w miejscu tragedii. Oddaliśmy też hołd na Jego grobie. pic.twitter.com/84Q0M2cnNh
— 18 Dywizja Zmechanizowana (@Zelazna_Dywizja) November 1, 2024