Polish authorities are set to press charges against two Ukrainians for allegedly carrying out an act of terrorist sabotage on behalf of Russia that caused an explosion damaging a train track used for deliveries to Ukraine, prosecutors announced on Wednesday. The suspects reportedly fled to Belarus following the attack on the rail line connecting Warsaw to the Ukrainian border. Polish officials claim the individuals had been in cooperation with Russian secret services for an extended period.
Several individuals have been apprehended in connection with the railway blast, according to prosecutors, who did not disclose further details. Prime Minister Donald Tusk labeled the incident as an “unprecedented act of sabotage,” while Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski described it as “an act of state terror.”
The explosion, which occurred near Mika, approximately 100 kilometers southeast of Warsaw, resulted in track damage but did not cause any injuries. Additionally, power lines were destroyed in a separate incident in Puławy, about 50 kilometers from Lublin in eastern Poland over the weekend.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukrainian authorities also suspect Russian involvement in the sabotage. Zelenskyy emphasized that only Russians would benefit from such actions, indicating a potential Russian link to the incident.
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 throughout the country. Sikorski further declared the closure of the last remaining Russian consulate in Gdansk, citing the attack as the reason.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has announced retaliatory measures, stating that they will scale back Poland’s diplomatic and consular presence in Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed regret over the deterioration of relations with Poland and the Polish authorities’ decision to sever diplomatic ties.
