Poland lacks missile defense for major cities during peacetime

General Michał Marciniak, Deputy Head of the Armament Agency, stated that no major Polish cities are currently protected by missile defense systems during peacetime. He noted that while cities would likely be protected if the country entered a state of war, current systems are focused on protecting critical infrastructure and military groupings rather than large urban areas.

These remarks have sparked significant debate regarding national security. Former Deputy Minister of National Defence Michał Dworczyk supported the General's assessment, arguing that the government must be truthful with citizens about the inevitability of casualties in the event of an attack, noting that even highly prepared nations like Israel cannot achieve 100 percent interception rates.

Poland's air defense is being built in layers through various programs codenamed after rivers, such as Wisła, Narew, and Pilica. The highest tier, Wisła, utilizes American Patriot systems. While the Ministry of National Defence maintains that the armed forces possess capabilities to provide air cover for designated objects and urban agglomerations—particularly in central and eastern Poland—the current deployment does not include permanent missile defense batteries around every large city.