Polish Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski stated that he expects an escalation of Russia's subversive activities in the country after an explosion on a busy railway route to Ukraine, for which the authorities blame Moscow, UNN reports with reference to Bloomberg.
Details
Krzysztof Gawkowski told the media that the civilian population and critical infrastructure of the NATO member country are at risk as the Kremlin intensifies efforts to deter Poles from supporting Ukraine.
Polish authorities stated that Russian intelligence was behind the explosion. Moscow rejected the accusation, calling it "Russophobia." The incident, which the European Union called "state terror," occurred approximately two months after 19 Russian drones deeply penetrated Polish airspace.
Poland, a NATO member on the eastern flank, borders Russia and Russia's ally Belarus. In recent years, the country has strengthened its armed forces, becoming one of the alliance's leaders in defense spending as a percentage of gross domestic product.
"We cannot rule out an escalation approximately every six weeks," Gawkowski said, adding that Russia's attempts to undermine the country could take the form of disinformation or terrorist attacks.
The escalation will continue, and I see it in various areas. I see it in threats to civilians. I see it in threats to critical infrastructure. I see it in cyberspace. I see it everywhere where Poles can be affected.
Russia's subversive activities have been accompanied by intensive social media campaigns accusing Ukrainians of acts of sabotage, said Gawkowski, who is responsible for the country's cybersecurity. Polish authorities are working with technology companies to quickly stop Kremlin-funded disinformation, he added.
The publication notes that millions of Ukrainians fled to Poland after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, and many of them remain there. Although the country has always been a staunch supporter of Kyiv, attitudes towards Ukrainians have deteriorated in recent years amid rising nationalist sentiment.
Gawkowski stated that while Ukraine is negotiating a US-led peace plan, it is important for European allies to remain skeptical of Russia's intentions. Poland has warned against re-engaging with Moscow by resuming business ties severed by sanctions and outrage over the full-scale invasion.
"There are countries in Western Europe that say the war needs to end as soon as possible, and we need to get back to working with Russia," Gawkowski said. "Their position has not changed — it's still 'the more we cooperate, the more civilized Russia becomes.'"
For Poland, preventing future Russian aggression means that any peace agreement must give Ukraine a sense of satisfaction with its military efforts, he said.
"If they know they fought not in vain, it will be easier for them to restore their identity," Gawkowski said, adding that a strong Ukraine with strong morale can continue to be a deterrent to Russia.
The alternative, he said, would be to strengthen the belief that Ukraine cannot escape Russian domination, which is also dangerous for Poland.
Poland arrested a third suspect in the railway sabotage case24.11.25, 13:19
Addition
From November 15 to 17, two acts of sabotage occurred in Poland on the Warsaw-Dorohusk railway route, which also leads to the border with Ukraine. In Mice (Garwolin district, Masovian Voivodeship), an explosive device damaged the railway track. In another location, near the Gołąb railway station (Puławy district, Lublin Voivodeship), a train carrying 475 passengers was forced to brake abruptly due to damage to the railway track.
Poland sent a note to Belarus requesting the extradition of two Ukrainian citizens accused of railway sabotage on behalf of Russia.