State Emergency Service of Ukraine explains how Head of Polish police ended up with grenade launcher that exploded

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine explained how General Jaroslaw Szymczyk, the Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Police, was hit by a grenade launcher that exploded at the police headquarters in Warsaw, European Pravda informs. "Exclusively out of good intentions and deep gratitude, Jaroslaw Szymczyk was given a symbolic gift, which is related to the resistance of the Ukrainian people to the Russian aggressor," the statement of the State Emergency Service website says. "We are convinced that there was not and could not be any intention to harm the Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Police.

We are certain that after analysing the circumstances and causes of this accident, appropriate safety conclusions will be drawn from this situation," the Service added. The State Emergency Service also hopes that the incident will not have a negative impact on the high level of cooperation between law enforcement agencies of Ukraine and Poland.

"We wish Jaroslaw Szymczyk, the Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Police, a speedy recovery... We highly appreciate the consistent support and assistance the Polish police provide to Ukraine and to the citizens of Ukraine, who have found in Poland a temporary refuge from the Russian aggressor," the statement says.

Earlier, the Polish media reported that Szymczyk received two grenade launcher tubes as a gift during his visit to Ukraine. The first was from Ihor Klymenko, Head of the National Police of Ukraine. It was turned into a speaker and even used to play music to demonstrate its operation.

The Ukrainians assured that there were no explosive materials inside. Later, Polish police officers met with General Serhiy Kruk, Head of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. After the meeting, Dmytro Bondar, Kruk's deputy, gave them a tour of the room where the items neutralised by the service, including shells and mines, were collected.

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At the end, saying goodbye, Bondar also gave Szymczyk a gift, an identical grenade launcher tube. This one, however, was not converted into a speaker, but the Ukrainians assured that the grenade launcher was used and safe. They also said that it can be transported without any documents and that it is worth as much as scrap.

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