Poland’s Prime Diplomat In Kyiv Says The Metropolis Is “Un-Occupiable”

Ambassadors from Western international locations, together with their diplomatic groups — led by america — pulled out of Ukraine weeks in the past. However not Cichocki. A few of his crew of greater than 80 Polish diplomats have moved to the western metropolis of Lviv, the place they preserve a working consulate, or again to Warsaw. However many stay by his facet within the capital.

Nonetheless, throughout his interview with BuzzFeed Information on Thursday, there have been indicators that Cichocki is anxious in regards to the Russian menace. Exterior his workplace door sat a helmet and bulletproof vest adorned with a red-and-white Polish flag patch. And he wore what he referred to as a “go bag” with “necessary paperwork” on his hip. His blood kind was scrawled in everlasting marker on his left arm.

“I don’t need to find yourself within the mistaken coffin,” he quipped.

As he spoke, a volley of rockets pummeled the outskirts of Kyiv. “Let’s open the window so we will pay attention,” Cichocki stated.

He pulled out his telephone to examine an app that’s alleged to notify residents when Russian missiles are incoming.

“I like this app, nevertheless it’s all the time two minutes late, which is a very long time when Iskanders come,” he stated in reference to Russia’s short-range hypersonic ballistic missiles which have been used in opposition to Ukraine.

Cichocki stated he had not been requested, not to mention ordered, by his bosses in Warsaw to depart Kyiv. “There are issues you may’t do from a distance,” he stated, including that he was nonetheless participating “24/7” with members of Ukraine’s authorities and different Western diplomats.

“Leaving now’s one thing that might lower [Ukrainians’] spirits,” he stated.