Key facts
- Poland's special services are anticipating Russian sabotage operations.
- The operations aim to exacerbate tensions between Poland and Ukraine.
- Russian information warfare, using trolls and bots, has increased.
- Russian interest has been observed in various sites linked to Polish-Ukrainian cooperation, not just military ones.
- Western intelligence agencies share concerns about potential Russian attacks on Poland and the Baltic states.
Poland's special services are on alert for potential Russian sabotage operations designed to worsen relations between Poland and Ukraine, according to Tomasz Siemoniak, the minister overseeing special services. He stated that Russia's objective is to create maximum possible tension between the two nations.
Siemoniak noted an increase in Russian information warfare in recent weeks, with online actors amplifying disputes. He also revealed that individuals commissioned by Russian services have shown interest in various facilities significant from a Polish-Ukrainian perspective. This interest extends beyond military sites and critical infrastructure to include aid organizations and other locations involved in Polish-Ukrainian cooperation.
While authorities are not indicating an imminent plot, they are preparing for attempts by Russia to exploit existing tensions. Siemoniak broadly mentioned that Western intelligence agencies are concerned about the risk of Russian hybrid or even kinetic attacks targeting Poland and the Baltic states, emphasizing that Russia possesses an arsenal of such actions and is actively preparing them.