Polish authorities are set to press charges against two Ukrainians for an act of terrorist sabotage believed to have been carried out on behalf of Russia, resulting in an explosion that caused damage to a train track crucial for deliveries to Ukraine, prosecutors announced on Wednesday.
The suspects reportedly fled Poland and crossed into Belarus immediately after executing the attack on a railway line connecting Warsaw to the Ukrainian border over the weekend. Authorities in Poland assert that the two Ukrainian individuals had maintained a long-standing collaboration with Russian intelligence services.
Additional individuals have been apprehended in connection with the railway explosion, as confirmed by prosecutors who refrained from disclosing further specifics.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland characterized the incident as an unprecedented act of sabotage, while Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski labeled it as an act of state terror.
The explosion resulted in the destruction of tracks near Mika, situated approximately 100 kilometers southeast of Warsaw, with no reported injuries. Concurrently, in a separate incident during the weekend, power lines were sabotaged in the Puławy area, approximately 50 kilometers from Lublin in eastern Poland.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy echoed similar sentiments by indicating that Ukrainian officials also suspect Russian involvement in the sabotage. Zelenskyy emphasized that Russia is the primary beneficiary of such actions, as confirmed during discussions with Tusk.
In response to the incident, Ukraine pledged to provide Poland with all necessary information and proposed the establishment of a joint Polish-Ukrainian task force dedicated to preventing Russian subversion.
Western authorities have accused Russia and its affiliates of orchestrating numerous attacks and incidents across Europe following the invasion of Ukraine over three years ago, with the apparent objective of destabilizing support for Ukraine, instilling fear, and sowing discord within European communities.
In light of these events, the Polish government announced its intention to deploy up to 10,000 troops to assist law enforcement in safeguarding critical infrastructure nationwide. Additionally, Sikorski declared the imminent closure of the last operational Russian consulate in Gdansk in response to the attack.
Moscow reciprocated by announcing a reduction in Poland’s diplomatic and consular presence in Russia, with Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirming the decision. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed disappointment at the deteriorating relations between the two nations, emphasizing the Polish authorities’ apparent inclination to sever diplomatic ties entirely.
The closure of the consulate in Gdansk follows the shutdown of two other Russian consulates in Krakow and Poznan in recent years, while the Russian embassy in Warsaw continues to operate.
Overall, the escalating tensions between Poland and Russia signify a significant strain in their diplomatic relations, with both countries taking reciprocal actions in response to the recent series of incidents.