Poland has directly accused Russia of orchestrating two explosive sabotage attacks on a critical railway line between Warsaw and Lublin, escalating fears of a widening hybrid conflict on NATO soil.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk told lawmakers that two Ukrainian citizens—allegedly long-time assets of Russian intelligence—were identified as the suspects behind the incidents. According to Tusk, one suspect had previously been convicted in absentia for sabotage in western Ukraine. Both individuals reportedly fled to Belarus immediately after the attacks. The first incident involved a steel clamp placed on the tracks in what authorities say was an attempt to derail a train, with a smartphone and power bank left behind to record the expected crash. The second attack used a C-4–type military explosive triggered via a 300-meter cable, damaging the railway as a freight train passed.
Poland’s Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz stated that Russia was directly behind the operation, calling it part of a broader pattern of Moscow’s hybrid warfare across NATO territory. Polish agencies say the goal was to cause a “rail catastrophe.”
Authorities warn the sabotage resembles previous Russian-linked operations targeting Europe, including arson attacks, cyber intrusions, explosive devices sent through the mail, and attempts to disrupt military aid shipments to Ukraine. Polish officials say “not a week goes by” without detecting new acts of sabotage linked to Russia. NATO and the EU have condemned the attack and expressed full solidarity with Poland. The incident raises potential Article 5 concerns if investigators conclusively prove direct Russian state involvement — a development that could dramatically escalate tensions between Moscow and the Western alliance.
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