Poland Blames Russia for Rail Sabotage, Closes Final Russian Consulate

Poland has directly accused Russia of orchestrating a sabotage attack on its national rail network, calling it “an act of state terrorism” and taking the retaliatory step of closing the last remaining Russian consulate in the country. 

The attack, which took place over the weekend near the town of Mika, targeted a strategic railway line linking Warsaw to eastern Poland, a critical logistics corridor to Ukraine.

Image Source: Radosław Sikorski

Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski announced the closure of the Russian consulate in Gdańsk, stating that the explosive devices planted on the tracks were meant to cause mass casualties. 

Although no injuries occurred--thanks to a vigilant train driver who spotted the damage in time--Polish authorities view the incident as part of a broader Russian campaign to destabilize European infrastructure.

Polish security services have already arrested four individuals in connection with the attack. Two of the prime suspects, Ukrainian nationals who entered Poland from Belarus and left shortly after the sabotage, are believed to have ties to Russian intelligence. One of them was previously detained for sabotage in Ukraine. Neither has been captured yet.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited the site of the attack and later confirmed the suspected Russian links. In a subsequent call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, both leaders agreed to form a joint task force to prevent future cross-border attacks. 

Zelenskyy described the operation as consistent with patterns of sabotage regularly seen in Ukraine, pointing to what he called “a Russian trace” in the execution.

The rail attack was not isolated. Power cables were also destroyed nearby in a coordinated attempt to disrupt critical infrastructure. Polish defence officials warned that the coming winter could invite more such incidents, citing intelligence that Moscow might escalate covert activities during the darker months.

In response, Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz unveiled Operation Horizon, a new national security plan that will see 10,000 soldiers deployed to protect key installations across the country. 

General Wiesław Kukuła, Poland’s chief of staff, emphasized that the army is preparing for a wide range of threats, including further acts of sabotage.

Russia has denied involvement but responded diplomatically by promising to reduce Poland’s consular footprint in Russia. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the deteriorating relationship, blaming Warsaw for pushing diplomatic ties toward collapse.

European intelligence agencies have previously warned of Moscow’s reliance on non-conventional operatives, often recruited via encrypted channels like Telegram, to execute low-cost, high-impact attacks aimed at testing Western responses and undermining support for Ukraine.