Mirosław Polakow
Deputy Chief of Staff Plans at NATO SHAPE
Major General Mirosław Polakow is the Deputy Chief of Staff Plans at NATO SHAPE. MG Polakow began his military career as a Platoon Commander at the Rocket Forces Specialist Training Centre. He later served as Company Commander in the 2nd Mountain Infantry Battalion, where he served as Operations Officer (1996–98). In 2003, as Chief of Staff for the Polish–Ukrainian Battalion within the Polish Military Contingent, he served in Kosovo with KFOR. He commanded the Polish–Lithuanian Peacekeeping Battalion (2006–08) and led the Polish Military Contingent Combat Group in Afghanistan (2008–09). He served as Head of the General Military Training Department at the Land Forces Command and Head of the Current Operations Division at the Armed Forces Operational Command. Maj Gen Polakow’s career includes Head of the Division and Programme Director for Innovation and Exercise Scenario Development at the Joint Warfare Centre in Stavanger, Norway (2013–16). He then served as Deputy Chief of the J5 Planning Directorate at the Armed Forces Operational Command, followed by an assignment as Chief of the J3 Operations Directorate. MG Polakow was Head of Division and Deputy Chief of Staff for Support at the Armed Forces Operational Command (2021–24) and Head of the P3 Operational Planning Directorate of the General Staff of the Polish Army. MG Polakow attended the National Defence Academy in Warsaw and the Podlasie Academy in Siedlce, and completed postgraduate and general studies at the War Studies University in Warsaw. During his service, General Polakow received numerous honours and decorations. Among the most prestigious are the Commander's Cross of the Military Cross, Military Cross of Merit, Afghanistan Star, NATO Medal (Kosovo), Land Forces Honour Badge, Gold Medal “For Merit to National Defence,” Gold Medal “Armed Forces in the Service of the Fatherland,” and many others.
Updated: May 8, 2026