Poland Alerts to Russian Sabotage Risks Amid Heightened Ukraine Tensions
Polish Special Services Prepare for Russian Sabotage Operations
WARSAW, July 1 (Reuters) - Polish special services are preparing for possible Russian sabotage operations aimed at inflaming tensions between Poles and Ukrainians, Tomasz Siemoniak, minister in charge of special services, told RMF FM Radio on Wednesday.
Deteriorating Poland-Ukraine Relations
Relations between Poland and Ukraine have deteriorated after President Karol Nawrocki's decision to strip Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Poland's highest state honour due to a dispute over the naming of a Ukrainian army unit after insurgents blamed for massacring Poles during World War Two.
Escalation of Russian Information Warfare
Siemoniak said Russian information warfare against Poland had intensified in recent weeks, with trolls and bots seeking to amplify disputes and influence Poland's online space.
"Russia's dream, the dream of the Russian services, was and is the greatest possible tension between Poland and Ukraine," Siemoniak said.
Potential Provocations and Sabotage Scenarios
Asked about the possibility of a Russian provocation, including an attack targeting Ukrainians in Poland that could further inflame public sentiment, Siemoniak said such scenarios were entirely plausible.
Targets of Russian Interest
"We observe the interest of people who are commissioned by Russian services in various facilities which are important from the Polish-Ukrainian point of view," Siemoniak said.
He added the interest was not limited to military facilities, critical infrastructure and sites involved in military support for Ukraine, but also extended to aid organisations and other locations linked to Polish-Ukrainian cooperation.
Authorities’ Response and Precautionary Measures
He said authorities were not suggesting any specific plot was imminent but had to anticipate attempts by Russia to exploit current tensions.
Broader Western Intelligence Concerns
More broadly, Siemoniak said Western intelligence agencies are concerned about the risk of Russian hybrid, or even kinetic attacks, against Poland and the Baltic states.
"Russia has an arsenal of such actions and... they are preparing them," he said. "We have to take into account various possibilities."
(Reporting by Barbara Erling; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
