Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk condemned an explosion on a crucial railway line delivering aid and weapons to Ukraine as an unprecedented act of sabotage. Authorities are probing whether the blast, which damaged the track between Warsaw and Lublin, is linked to Russia, Belarus, or their allies. Tusk pledged to apprehend the culprits, emphasizing the importance of the targeted line for Ukraine support.
Polish officials confirmed that an explosive device caused the damage to the railway track and overhead cables, categorizing both incidents as likely acts of sabotage. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte affirmed close collaboration with Polish authorities, awaiting the investigation results.
Western officials have accused Russia and its allies of orchestrating various attacks across Europe since the Ukrainian invasion to undermine Ukrainian support and sow fear. In a related incident, Poland, with NATO’s aid, intercepted Russian drones that trespassed into its airspace.
Poland’s Security Services Minister, Tomasz Siemoniak, highlighted a high probability that foreign services orchestrated the railway incidents. The Polish Interior Minister, Marcin Kierwiński, confirmed the detonation of an explosive device on the track near Mika village, southeast of Warsaw.
Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced plans for a thorough inspection of the Warsaw-Lublin-Hrubieszów line, emphasizing its significance for Poland’s connection to Ukraine. Despite the disruption of a train on the same line due to damaged power lines, no injuries were reported among the passengers.
During a news conference in Brussels, Finland’s President Alexander Stubb urged European nations to remain composed in response to alleged Russian disruptions, cautioning against overreaction. Stubb emphasized Russia’s efforts to destabilize societies through information campaigns.
Stubb described Moscow’s engagement in kinetic warfare in Ukraine and hybrid warfare in Europe, blurring the lines between war and peace. Russia has refuted previous accusations of sabotage, including incidents involving drones and underwater cables in European regions.