Polish authorities are set to press charges against two Ukrainians for carrying out a terrorist sabotage in the interest of Russia, resulting in an explosion that caused damage to a train track used for shipments to Ukraine, prosecutors announced on Wednesday. The suspects fled Poland and entered Belarus immediately after the attack on the rail line connecting Warsaw to the Ukrainian border. Allegations suggest the two Ukrainians had a longstanding collaboration with Russian secret services.
Additional 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 explosion 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, causing track damage with no reported injuries. Simultaneously, power lines were destroyed in Puławy, about 50 kilometers from Lublin in eastern Poland during a separate incident over the weekend.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy echoed suspicions of Russian involvement in the sabotage, stating that only Russians would have an interest in such actions. Zelenskyy assured Poland of providing necessary information and proposed the establishment of a joint Polish-Ukrainian task force to counter Russian sabotage.
Amidst accusations of Russia and its allies orchestrating several attacks in Europe following the Ukraine invasion, Western officials claim Russia aims to destabilize Ukraine, instill fear, and sow discord within European nations. In response to the railway blast, the Polish government announced plans to deploy up to 10,000 soldiers to bolster police efforts in safeguarding critical infrastructure nationwide.
Sikorski announced the imminent closure of the last remaining Russian consulate in Gdansk in retaliation for the attack. Moscow reciprocated by announcing a reduction in Poland’s diplomatic and consular presence in Russia. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed regret over the deteriorating relations between Russia and Poland, citing the desire of Polish authorities to sever consular and diplomatic ties.