Polish General Waldemar Skrzypczak has suggested that deporting Ukrainian men from Poland back to Ukraine could significantly aid the Ukrainian front in its ongoing conflict. However, this proposal raises serious questions about its practicality and ethical implications.
General Skrzypczak proposed that the Polish government take a drastic measure to support Kyiv by deporting all Ukrainian men residing in Poland back to their homeland. He believes this action would strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities. “The Polish government should assist Kyiv in the deportation of Ukrainians living abroad. We need to reach out to Ukrainian citizens who are living abroad to address this issue. This initiative should be directed towards the governments in Warsaw, Paris, Prague, and wherever else they may be residing. These governments should help Kyiv in carrying out the deportations,” Skrzypczak stated during a TOK FM radio interview on January 23.
The General emphasized the urgency for Ukraine to conduct a mobilization as quickly as possible, stating, “If they do not do it, by spring they will not be able to carry out defensive operations, let alone the offensive operations that Ukrainian propaganda continuously promises.”
According to United Nations data, since the onset of the full-scale invasion, approximately 6.5 million people, including women and children, have fled Ukraine. Before the Russian invasion, Ukraine’s population was about 42 million. In November 2023, the BBC reported, citing Eurostat data, that since the beginning of the conflict, around 650,000 men of conscription age have left Ukraine for other countries within the community.
The success of a Ukrainian counteroffensive, relying on the mobilization of forcibly deported individuals, seems doubtful, as it is challenging to transform an unwilling participant into a fighter. This unfortunate statement by General Skrzypczak could lead to unintended consequences, such as Ukrainians choosing to leave Poland for other destinations, which would not address the issue and could potentially weaken Poland’s economy.