Poland is one of the countries most vulnerable to Russian hybrid operations, according to intelligence and defense officials. The Kremlin is already conducting sabotage actions on Polish soil, and the scale of these activities is expected to increase in the near future, posing a direct threat to national security.
Polish prosecutors have confirmed that a massive fire at a shopping hall on Marywilska Street in Warsaw last month was not an accident. – The collected evidence points to an intentional arson, and an international criminal group cooperating with Russian special services was involved – said Przemysław Nowak, spokesman for the National Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Two persons have been charged in connection with the case. One was arrested and temporarily detained in Lithuania, while the other remains in Russia, hampering the extradition process.
The Marywilska fire and the Russian connection
Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Bejda told parliament that Poland remains one of the key areas of interest for Russian intelligence and a main direction for potential sabotage operations. – The risk of sabotage will remain high in the coming years and may even increase under certain scenarios – he stated in response to a parliamentary interpellation.
Major Robert Cheda, a former officer of Poland’s Foreign Intelligence Agency, shares this assessment. – Poland is crucial for the functioning of NATO’s eastern flank and for organizing support for Ukraine. Weakening Poland’s position would serve Russia’s goal of breaking European unity and building influence through bilateral relations – he said in an interview with Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
Poland’s strategic role makes it a prime target
Cheda also warned that the Kremlin aims to deepen social tensions and political divisions in Poland. – Sabotage operations are used as a tool to undermine citizens’ trust in state institutions – he explained.
The former intelligence officer stressed that Poland now operates in a demanding and unstable security environment. Growing tensions in the region are likely to increase the frequency and sophistication of destabilization efforts orchestrated by Moscow.
According to officials, Poland’s geographic location and its role as a logistics hub for military aid to Ukraine make it a permanent target for Russian hybrid warfare.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. PAP/Paweł Jaskółka
