Poland has launched an investigation into the mishandling of military assets after approximately 240 anti-tank mines were discovered at an IKEA warehouse. The case has led to accusations against four soldiers and the dismissal of a high-ranking military official.
According to Reuters, the mines were originally misplaced back in the summer of 2024. Military personnel stationed near Szczecin were unloading a train carrying military equipment when several crates containing anti-tank mines were inadvertently left behind. These crates were subsequently transported elsewhere, eventually being located at an IKEA distribution center.
Poland’s Ministry of Defense announced on January 9, 2025, that Major General Artur Kępczyński, head of the Armed Forces Support Inspectorate, had been dismissed from his position. While no official reason was provided, local media sources allege that Kępczyński attempted to conceal the incident.
In a statement to Polish news agency PAP, the Szczecin-Niebuszewo Military Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that four soldiers are facing charges for negligence in supervising military property. The charges carry a potential penalty of up to five years in prison.
Colonel Bartosz Okoniewski, Deputy Regional Military Prosecutor in Poznań, explained that the issue arose from errors during the accounting of military assets. A portion of the shipment, including the mines, remained in the train and was not accounted for until much later.
The missing mines, intended for a military base in Hajnówka, were eventually secured and relocated to the proper storage facility.