Polish defense minister fends off criticism after he says he keeps an emergency backpack ready

Poland’s defense minister said Thursday that since early in Russia’s war against Ukraine he has kept an emergency backpack ready, drawing detractors who said his comments did not send a reassuring message about the country’s safety.

The comment from a high government official reflected the anxieties that have taken hold in Europe, particularly among those in Central and Eastern Europe close to the war in Ukraine. But critics said the comments could make residents feel unsafe by signaling a willingness on his part to leave if the country were in trouble.

Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, who is both defense minister and deputy prime minister, was asked in a radio interview if he kept an emergency backpack. He answered that he had packed a bag with necessary items for a trip to Ukraine early in the war “and it is still packed today.”

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“Having such a safety backpack is also good in the event of any natural disaster, any sudden event,” he told private broadcaster Radio Zet. “You have to be ready for any situation.”

A former defense minister said the comment was not reassuring.

“Evacuation in times of danger is the last thing on the mind of a responsible minister of national defense. Such words — even if the intentions are good — do not make Poles feel safer,” Mariusz Błaszczak, who was defense minister in the previous government, said on social media plaform X.

Following critical comments, Kosiniak-Kamysz issued a statement saying the words were being taken out of context. The defense minister said on X, that “Preparedness for crisis situations is not only an obligation, but also our responsibility.”

Poland’s government launched a website last month recommending that people have backpacks prepared in the event of an emergency evacuation, which could include natural disasters or extreme weather events. It recommends having items such as a change of clothes, a battery-powered radio, flashlight and a first aid kit.