Poland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski has stated that Russian hybrid attacks are perpetually occurring throughout Europe. Speaking with CNN on Sunday, Sikorski pointed out that these assaults, although not reaching the level of armed invasion, are still significantly harmful. He emphasized, “People are dying,” highlighting the dire consequences of such actions.
During his appearance on the show Fareed Zakaria GPS, Sikorski detailed various forms of these attacks, which have included assassination attempts in Poland, the United Kingdom, and Germany, as well as incidents of arson and an attempted bombing of a train. He noted the use of armed drones, which have been reported traversing Lithuania and operating at Leipzig airport.
Cyberattacks are another pressing concern, with Sikorski indicating that such incidents occur “daily” in Poland, targeting critical sectors including hospitals, finance, and energy systems. Furthermore, he mentioned that Russia is actively engaging in espionage and mapping critical infrastructure in the region.
Sikorski expressed that the Russian military intelligence unit, known as the GRU, has been identified as responsible for these attacks and is believed to be planning further escalation. Despite this, he asserted that Europe will not resort to similar tactics for retaliation. “We don’t do the kinds of things that the Russians do,” he stated, noting that Poland and other European countries operate as peaceful democracies without resorting to assassination squads or aggressive drone actions against Russia.
The minister underscored that the proper response to Russia’s provocations is increased support for Ukraine, concluding with, “We think that our best response to Russian provocations is more help for Ukraine.”
