Warsaw: Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk alleged Tuesday that Ukrainians collaborated with Russian intelligence behind the suspected sabotage on the Warsaw-Lublin intercity rail line near the village of Mika. Tusk informed lawmakers that they have identified two Ukrainians responsible for the sabotage, emphasizing their collaboration with Russian intelligence before fleeing to Belarus.
According to Anadolu Agency, Tusk revealed that one suspect had previously been convicted by a Ukrainian court in May for similar acts of sabotage. "We are dealing with an unprecedented event. This is perhaps the most serious situation, in the context of Poland's security, since the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine," Tusk stated.
He elaborated on the incidents, noting that they occurred separately. The first act involved placing a steel clamp on the tracks, while the second used a "military-grade C4 explosive device," detonated via an initiating device connected to a 300-meter (984-foot) electrical cable. Tusk added, "In both cases, we are certain that these were intentional actions and their aim was to cause a railway disaster."
Polish ministers announced late Monday that they have gathered substantial evidence to identify those responsible for the suspected sabotage. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski, along with the justice and infrastructure ministers, held a joint news conference stating that 'a great deal of evidence,' including CCTV footage and other materials, would allow for the quick identification of the perpetrators.
Kierwinski confirmed that an explosive device was 'beyond any doubt' detonated, damaging the railway track near Mika. He mentioned that a metal clamp was found on the line, though its connection to the Pulawy stoppage remains uncertain, and noted the damage to a 60-meter (197-foot) section of power lines.
Tomasz Siemoniak, special services coordinator, suggested that the incidents were likely commissioned by foreign actors. Tusk had also declared on Monday that the overnight damage on the Warsaw-Lublin line was an act of sabotage.
"Unfortunately, the worst suspicions have been confirmed. An act of sabotage occurred on the Warsaw-Lublin line (village of Mika). An explosive device detonated and destroyed the railway track. Services and the prosecutor's office are working on the scene," Tusk wrote on US social media company X.
Another incident on the same line, near Pulawy, southeast of Warsaw, is also under scrutiny for potential sabotage. Security services are investigating whether these incidents are part of a broader pattern of hostile activity targeting Polish infrastructure.
Early Sunday, a train driver reported 'irregularities' on the Deblin-Warsaw route near the village of Zyczyn, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the capital. According to police in Radom, initial checks revealed deliberate damage to a section of track, leading to an immediate suspension of traffic.
This investigation unfolds amid heightened tension in Poland, following a series of suspected Russian-directed sabotage attempts across NATO territory. Polish authorities have recently arrested several individuals accused of attempting arson or damaging railway systems used to transport Western military equipment to Ukraine.