Polish authorities are set to press charges against two Ukrainians for carrying out a terrorist sabotage on behalf of Russia that caused an explosion damaging a railway track used for deliveries to Ukraine, prosecutors announced on Wednesday. The suspects reportedly fled to Belarus after the attack on the rail line connecting Warsaw to the Ukrainian border, with Polish officials claiming they had long-standing ties with Russian secret services.
Several individuals have been apprehended in connection with the railway blast, although further details have not been disclosed by prosecutors. Prime Minister Donald Tusk labeled the incident as an unprecedented act of sabotage, while Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski characterized it as an act of state terror.
The explosion occurred near Mika, approximately 100 kilometers southeast of Warsaw, resulting in track damage but no injuries. Additionally, 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 the belief that the sabotage had Russian involvement, stating that only Russians would have an interest in such actions. Zelenskyy affirmed Ukraine’s commitment to providing Poland with necessary information and establishing a joint Polish-Ukrainian group to counter Russian sabotage.
In response to the attack, the Polish government announced plans to deploy up to 10,000 soldiers to assist the police in safeguarding critical infrastructure nationwide. Sikorski declared the forthcoming closure of the last remaining Russian consulate in Gdansk, following the shutdown of consulates in Krakow and Poznan in recent years, while the Russian embassy in Warsaw remains operational.
Moscow has retaliated by announcing a reduction in Poland’s diplomatic and consular presence in Russia. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed regret over the deteriorating relations with Poland, attributing the move to the Polish authorities’ aim to sever ties with Russia.