Polish authorities are set to press charges against two Ukrainians for carrying out a terrorist-style sabotage on behalf of Russia, causing an explosion that damaged a train track crucial for deliveries to Ukraine, prosecutors announced on Wednesday. The suspects fled to Belarus after orchestrating the attack on the rail line connecting Warsaw to the Ukrainian border, according to officials who claim the individuals had longstanding ties with Russian secret services.
Additional individuals have been apprehended in connection with the railway blast, as confirmed by prosecutors who did not disclose further details. Describing the incident as an “unprecedented act of sabotage,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski labeled it as “an act of state terror.”
The explosion, which occurred near Mika, approximately 100 kilometers southeast of Warsaw, resulted in track damage without any reported injuries. In a separate incident over the weekend, power lines were destroyed in Puławy, around 50 kilometers from Lublin in eastern Poland.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy echoed suspicions of Russian involvement in the sabotage, asserting that only Russians would have an interest in such actions. Following discussions with Tusk, Zelenskyy pledged to provide Poland with necessary information and establish a joint Polish-Ukrainian task force to counter Russian sabotage.
Western officials have accused Russia and its proxies of orchestrating numerous attacks and incidents across Europe since the invasion of Ukraine over three years ago, aiming to destabilize Ukraine, instill fear, and sow discord within European nations. In response, the Polish government announced plans to deploy up to 10,000 soldiers to bolster police efforts in safeguarding critical infrastructure nationwide.
Sikorski announced the closure of the last remaining Russian consulate in Gdansk in retaliation for the attack, noting that two other consulates in Krakow and Poznan had been shut down in recent years, while the Russian embassy in Warsaw remains operational. Moscow, in response, announced plans to scale back Poland’s diplomatic presence in Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed regret over the deteriorating relations between Russia and Poland, following the decision to sever consular and diplomatic ties. The situation reflects escalating tensions between the two countries amid the recent acts of aggression and sabotage.