Orla Straż foundation halts aid to Ukraine due to border corruption

Bartosz Rutkowski, president of the Orla Straż foundation, has announced that his organization has largely ceased transporting humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Rutkowski, a reserve lieutenant commander, cited widespread corruption and extortion by Ukrainian border guards as the primary reasons for this decision.

In an interview with journalist Bogdan Rymanowski, Rutkowski described instances where aid shipments, including ambulances intended for soldiers, were delayed or held at the border. He reported that border officials would demand bribes, sometimes holding transport vehicles in freezing conditions for hours.

Rutkowski expressed a lack of confidence in the ability of Ukrainian state institutions and warehouses to distribute aid effectively. He also noted that when he previously attempted to raise concerns regarding these issues, he faced accusations of being a Russian sympathizer in the Polish public sphere.