Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk labeled the explosion on a key railway line used for transporting goods to Ukraine as an unparalleled act of sabotage. Following the blast on the route connecting Warsaw to southeastern Poland, Polish authorities, including a security source, are probing potential ties to Russia, Belarus, or their affiliates.
Tusk affirmed Poland’s commitment to capturing those responsible for the sabotage. During his visit to the site, he emphasized the significance of the affected line in delivering assistance and armaments to Ukraine. Polish officials confirmed that an explosive device caused damage to a segment of the track between Warsaw and Lublin, with subsequent harm to overhead cables along the same route, indicating probable sabotage.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed close collaboration with Polish officials and awaited the investigation’s outcomes. Western officials have accused Russia and its associates of orchestrating numerous attacks and disruptive events in Europe post the Ukrainian invasion, purportedly aiming to weaken Ukraine’s backing, instill fear, and sow discord among European nations.
In a related incident, a train driver alerted authorities on Sunday morning about track irregularities near Mika village, approximately 100 kilometers from Warsaw. The subsequent inspection revealed deliberate damage due to an explosive device detonation. While the exact timing of the explosion was uncertain, no injuries were reported among the passengers and staff on the train.
Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz disclosed plans for the military to survey the 120-kilometer Warsaw-Lublin-Hrubieszów line, vital for Polish-Ukrainian transport. Another train on the same route was halted at Puławy after the overhead cables were tampered with, causing minor disruptions and breaking windows but resulting in no injuries to the 475 passengers aboard.
During a news conference in Brussels, Finland’s President Alexander Stubb cautioned against overreacting to alleged Russian disruptions, emphasizing the need for composed responses. Stubb highlighted Russia’s strategies of destabilizing societies through information warfare, urging European nations to maintain composure in the face of such provocations.
Stubb also discussed Russia’s dual tactics of kinetic warfare in Ukraine and hybrid warfare in Europe, noting the blurred boundaries between conflict and peace. Despite past denials by Russia, allegations of sabotage, including incidents involving drones near airports and damaged underwater cables in European waters, persist.
