The Polish army has announced it will provide free self-defence classes for women in 30 different cities over the coming months.

The free practical sessions, each several hours long, are to be held at military training facilities on seven specific dates between 19 November and 3 June.

Poland's Ministry of National Defence said the classes were for adult women who wanted to learn to protect themselves “in various situations that threaten their life or health, especially arising from physical threats against them.”

Women would be taught techniques by military instructors including releasing holds and deflecting kicks, it said.

They would also be shown how to defend themselves from attacks involving “dangerous tools or with the participation of several attackers”.

The Ministry said the project aimed to “popularise the women's self defence training program of the combat forces of the Republic of Poland in a civilian environment.”

However, some accused the army of running the classes as a publicity stunt.

Army Photographic Competition 2016 Show all 13 1 /13 Army Photographic Competition 2016 Army Photographic Competition 2016 Corporal Sean Neill, from Kilmarnock, kissing his daughter Madison in the streets of Glasgow after the 400 strong Homecoming Parade. The photo, by Mark Owens, has been named Winner of Best Online Image (voted by the public) in the Army Photographic Competition 2016 Mark Owens/Army HQ Scotland/PA Wire Army Photographic Competition 2016 This photograph shows Officer Cadets from Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) on Exercise Dynamic Victory, Grafenwoehr & Hohenfels Training area, Bavaria Bombardier Murray Kerr RA/PA Wire Army Photographic Competition 2016 Great Men, by Bombardier Murray Kerr RA Bombardier Murray Kerr RA/PA Wire Army Photographic Competition 2016 The photograph shows the changing room buzzing 30 minutes before forming up Sergeant Rupert Frere RLC/PA Wire Army Photographic Competition 2016 Prepping for the Worst, by Cpl Timothy Jones Cpl Timothy Jones/PA Wire Army Photographic Competition 2016 Y Company, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, conducting jungle warfare training in Brunei, learning to live, survive and fight in the unique training environment Cpl Timothy Jones/PA Wire Army Photographic Competition 2016 Right Hook, by Bombardier Murray Kerr RA Bdr Murray Kenneth Kerr, Royal Artillery/PA Wire Army Photographic Competition 2016 Army Photographic Competition 2016 The Climb, by Capt Ben Norfield, RGR Capt Ben Norfield, RGR/PA Wire Army Photographic Competition 2016 This photograph shows the TIGERS Freefall Parachute Display Team from the 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (1 PWRR) send a Birthday message to the Queen from 8,000 feet above Paderborn in Germany Dominic King AMC/PA Wire Army Photographic Competition 2016 Nightlife in Otterburn, by Cpl Timothy Jones Cpl Timothy Jones/PA Wire Army Photographic Competition 2016 The photograph shows Garrison Sergeant Major Andrew Stokes of the Coldstream Guards making inspections of the soldiers drill Sergeant Rupert Frere RLC/PA Wire Army Photographic Competition 2016 Y Company, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, conducting jungle warfare training in Brunei, learning to live, survive and fight in the unique training environment Cpl Timothy Jones/PA Wire

Polish journalist Marcin Ogdowski said the lessons had a “propaganda dimension” and self-defence classes should be run by the police instead of the military, reported the BBC.

And former special forces commander Roman Polko told Polish media while the incentive could be a way to encourage new recruits, “the knowledge of aikido or jujitsu [...] will not win a war.”

He also raised concerns that only undertaking such a short self-defence course could give women a “false sense of security” with potentially dangerous consequences if they tried to take on an attacker, according to Dziennik Polski.

The classes are open to women over 18 in good physical health, but there is no upper age limit, said Polish Defence minister Antoni Macierewicz.

Poland, which scrapped compulsory military service in 2008, is said to be upping its military capacity amid rising tensions with Russia.

Fears of Russian military aggression has caused thousands of young people to join the country's historic militias known as the Riflemen's Associations, reported CNN.

The Russian exclave Kaliningrad shares a border with Poland and Mr Macierewicz has called the recent movement of Russian warships to the area "an obvious cause for concern".

Poland blames EU for Brexit

Tensions have been escalating between Nato states and Russia since the latter’s intervention in Ukraine beginning in February 2014, which was criticised by leaders across the world.