The war in Ukraine has significantly influenced military forces worldwide, prompting many countries to revisit combat training tactics that had long been considered obsolete. The resurgence of trench warfare on modern battlefields has led the Polish military to begin comprehensive trench combat training.
Social media updates from the 17th Mechanized Brigade recently highlighted exercises involving scouts from the Międzyrzecz Brigade. The soldiers participated in a training assembly at the Land Forces Training Center in Wędrzyn, western Poland.
Years ago, an artificial town was constructed at the training center, designed to simulate urban combat. The facility’s usefulness has been particularly appreciated following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, where urban areas have become the scenes of fierce battles. The center in Wędrzyn also serves as a training site for Ukrainian troops.
According to military sources, the facility has been expanded with new infrastructure to better simulate trench warfare. Photos released by the military show two-meter-deep trenches reinforced with wooden beams.
The distinctive zigzag shape of the trenches is designed to protect soldiers from artillery fire. When a shell strikes a trench, the blast wave dissipates sideways. The more turns in the trench, the higher the chance that soldiers inside will survive such attacks.
The exercises also utilized unmanned aerial vehicles, aiming to mimic wartime conditions as closely as possible. Soldiers from the 17th Brigade believe this represents a new standard in military training, elevating their preparedness for modern combat scenarios.
