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Poland links rail sabotage to Ukrainian agents with Russian intelligence ties
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced Tuesday that two Ukrainian nationals-allegedly long-term operatives for Russian intelligence-are the primary suspects behind two recent acts of sabotage targeting Poland's rail network, including an explosion near Mika, southeast of Warsaw, over the weekend.
Speaking before parliament, Tusk revealed that one suspect had previously been convicted in absentia for sabotage operations in Ukraine. Both individuals are believed to have entered Poland from Belarus in autumn before returning there via the Terespol border crossing, near the Ukrainian border, he added.
Explosions and disrupted rail traffic
A military-grade C4 explosive detonated on 15 November at approximately 21:00 local time (20:00 GMT) near Mika, damaging a freight train's wagon floor as it passed. Surveillance footage captured the blast, though the train driver remained unaware of the incident, Tusk said. An earlier attempt to derail a train using a steel clamp on the tracks had failed, he noted.
Two days later, on 17 November, a passenger train carrying 475 people was forced to brake abruptly near Puławy after saboteurs damaged overhead cables. The prime minister described the attacks as part of a coordinated effort to "cause a rail catastrophe."
Russian denial and Polish countermeasures
The Kremlin dismissed the allegations. Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin, told state media: "It would have been really strange if Russia hadn't been blamed first." He accused Poland of "rampant Russophobia" and claimed Moscow is routinely scapegoated for "all acts of hybrid and direct war" in the country.
Polish authorities had initially suggested a "foreign service" was likely behind the attacks. By Tuesday, a spokesman for Poland's special services minister stated that "everything points to Russian special services." Tusk later announced plans to raise alert levels on select rail lines and disclosed that 55 suspects had been detained since early 2024 for sabotage-related offenses, with 23 remanded in custody.
Strategic motives: Disruption and division
Tusk asserted that Russia's goal extended beyond immediate damage, aiming to "sow panic and stir anti-Ukrainian sentiment" in Poland-a nation hosting over one million Ukrainian refugees. "What the Russian authorities care about is not just the direct effect but the social and political consequences: disorganization, chaos, panic, speculation, and uncertainty," he told lawmakers.
Poland, a NATO and EU member, has become a critical transit hub for military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. The rail network's integrity is vital for these supply routes.
Recent precedents
In September, Tusk reported that Polish and NATO forces had shot down three Russian drones in Polish airspace during overnight strikes on Ukraine. Authorities recorded 19 drone incursions, some forcing temporary closures of four airports, including Warsaw's Chopin Airport. Russia's defense ministry denied targeting Polish facilities.
"Supplies have stabilized, but conservation remains essential."
Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland, addressing parliament on 18 November 2025
