Warsaw: The Polish digital affairs minister announced on Tuesday that Russia is attempting to interfere in the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for May 18. Krzysztof Gawkowski, speaking at the Defence24 Days conference, described the current situation as an "unprecedented attempt" by Russia to meddle in Poland's electoral process.

According to Anadolu Agency, Gawkowski highlighted the ongoing challenges Poland faces from Russia, which include continuous disinformation campaigns and hybrid attacks targeting critical infrastructure. He pointed out that Russian military intelligence activities have significantly increased in Poland, noting a doubling of such activities compared to the previous year.

"In 2024, more than 600,000 incidents were reported, of which over 100,000 were acted upon by Polish services," Gawkowski stated, emphasizing a 60% year-on-year increase in these incidents. He described the attacks as efforts to disrupt the daily lives of Polish citizens.

Gawkowski further asserted that Russia views Poland as a "target" rather than merely an "object of interest." He issued a stern warning against anyone engaging in activities that could be considered treasonous or espionage, stressing that those who attempt to influence the state or undermine Poland's security will face legal consequences.