Maciej Konieczny, a Polish MP from the leftwing Razem party, has claimed that Europe's sole TNT supplier, the Polish company Nitro-Chem, sends much of its production to the US, which then exports it for use by Israel in Gaza. Konieczny alleges that this diversion leaves Poland and Ukraine without sufficient explosives for defence.
Nitro-Chem, owned by the Polish Armaments Group, produces an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 tonnes of TNT annually. About half of its output is destined for the US until at least 2029 under contracts worth $310 million. The US lacks domestic TNT production and relies on Polish supplies for bombs such as the 2,000lb MK-84 and 550lb BLU-109, which Israel is accused of using in Gaza.
Konieczny raised the issue in the Polish parliament, stating that Polish TNT is exported entirely abroad and used in bombs that fall on civilians in Gaza and Yemen. He warned that Poland's TNT reserves would only last a month in a war, leaving it unable to produce its own ammunition or supply Ukraine. He called for an explanation of whether Gaza is prioritised over European defence.
A report by Palestinian NGOs claims that without Polish TNT, the scale of aerial bombardment in Gaza would not have been possible. Between October 2023 and July 2024, the US transferred at least 14,000 MK-84s and 8,700 MK-82s to Israel. The US paused some shipments in May 2024, but restrictions were lifted by President Donald Trump.
Nitro-Chem stated that it operates in accordance with national and international law and remains under state supervision. The company's contract with Paramount Enterprises Ltd, signed in April 2025, will deliver 18,000 tonnes of TNT to the US between 2027 and 2029.
