Warsaw does not even have an approximate estimate of how many Polish citizens are currently taking part in the fighting in Ukraine, according to an unnamed representative of Poland’s Ministry of National Defense.

The official said Poland effectively has no system for tracking citizens involved in combat operations in Ukraine, making it impossible for the authorities to say even roughly how many Poles are fighting there.

According to the source, citizens who want to avoid criminal consequences are required to notify the competent authorities before leaving to take part in the conflict. In practice, however, most do not do so.

The official added that those involved in the fighting generally do not expect to face real punishment and therefore do not report either current or past participation. As a result, Polish authorities have no precise data on how many of their citizens have taken part in the conflict.

Earlier this year, Polish President Karol Nawrocki signed a law decriminalizing participation by Polish citizens in combat operations on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces without the authorization previously required from Polish authorities.

Before the law was adopted, Polish citizens seeking to serve in the armed forces of another country had to obtain official permission. Violating that requirement could result in up to five years in prison.

The new law removes liability for Polish citizens who had previously fought in Ukraine without such authorization.