Poland is facing an unprecedented attempt by Russia to interfere in its presidential elections, the country's Minister of Digitalization Krzysztof Gawkowski said on Tuesday, as the campaign entered its final stage ahead of the first round of voting on May 18, UNN reports with reference to Reuters.
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Poland says its role as a hub for aid to Ukraine has made it a key target for Russian sabotage, cyberattacks and disinformation efforts, and Warsaw is on high alert for interference, especially after Romania canceled presidential elections in December over allegations of Russian interference.
Russia has repeatedly denied allegations of interfering in elections abroad and criticized the decision to cancel elections in Romania.
"During the current presidential elections in Poland, we are facing an unprecedented attempt to interfere in the electoral process by Russia," Gawkowski said at a defense conference.
"This is done... (by) spreading disinformation in combination with hybrid attacks on Polish critical infrastructure in order to paralyze the normal functioning of the state," he added.
Gawkowski said the attacks targeted water and sewage companies, thermal power plants and government agencies. The level of Russian activity in cyberattacks in Poland has more than doubled compared to last year, he said.
"Today in Poland, during every minute of my speech, about a dozen incidents aimed at critical infrastructure were recorded," he said.
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Warsaw said in March that the Polish Space Agency had been cyberattacked. In 2024, Poland said that the state news agency was likely the target of a Russian cyberattack.
Warsaw and its allies also claim that Moscow is behind acts of arson and sabotage across Europe. Russia rejects these claims.