| dc.description.abstract | This article describes the reasons for, and the process of, establishing the 18th Mechanised
Division of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland. Its organisational structure, command
and role in the Polish Army are also outlined. The author not only focused on the chronological
presentation of establishing a new tactical unit but also presented the geostrategic context
of Central and Eastern Europe. Reference was made to the Russian military potential of
the Kaliningrad Region and the Western Operational Command. The contexts of the Suwałki
Corridor, the Smolensk Gate and the Anti-Access Area Denial capacities in the modern art of
war were described as well. The research methods employed included analysis, synthesis,
comparison and generalisation. Special attention was paid to analysing a range of documents
and reports describing Poland’s defence strategies and the significance of eastern areas of the
Republic of Poland to the military safety of Central and Eastern Europe, including Securing
the Suwałki Corridor; Strategy, Statecraft, Deterrence and Defense, The Suwalki Gap – NATO’S
Fragile Hot Spot, The Russia – NATO A2AD Environment, The Defence Concept of the Republic
of Poland, and The Strategic Defence Review. In the course of the research, publications and
lectures by Jacek Bartosiak – The Republic between the land and the sea. About war and peace
also proved useful, and so did articles published on Defence24.
In the author’s opinion, the creation of the 18th Mechanised Division has been one of the
most important undertakings recently implemented within the Polish Armed Forces, aimed
at strengthening the military potential in the country’s eastern flank. Conducting research in
this field also appears justified when taking into consideration the crucial role of the Suwałki
Corridor, the Smolensk Gate and Poland’s capacities for conducting multi-area battles. | en |
