Ukraine and Poland are taking a decisive step to counter the subversive operations attributed to Moscow. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced, in a message published on his official Telegram channel, on Wednesday, November 19, that the two states will create a joint group dedicated to the prevention and investigation of potentially destabilizing acts of sabotage.
Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Tusk/PHOTO:X
The announcement came after a telephone conversation with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who expressed his condolences for the victims of Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, including the tragedy in Ternopil. According to Zelenski, Warsaw shared data from its security services and information related to recent incidents on the Polish rail network.
In the assessment of the Polish side, the Telegram platform was used to coordinate sabotage actions and launch disinformation campaigns directed against Ukraine. “Our information coincides: all indications point to a Russian fingerprint. No one else has an interest in such actions,” Zelenskiy stressed, insisting on Ukraine's readiness to cooperate “at all levels” and provide any relevant data to Polish partners.
The new joint structure will have the role of preventing similar incidents in the future, in a context where the authorities in Warsaw believe that Russia is trying to test the vulnerabilities of the critical infrastructure in the region. “We value Poland's support and remain ready to act together to protect lives and counter all kinds of provocations and sabotage,” the Ukrainian leader pointed out.
Tensions escalated after the two rail incidents that took place in Poland on November 15 and 16. According to the authorities, two Ukrainian citizens with ties to the Russian services would have detonated a section of railway on the Warsaw-Dorohusk route, near the town of Mika. A day later, a train with 475 passengers was forced to brake suddenly near Gołąb station in Lublin Voivodeship due to another section of damaged tracks. As a result, Poland has instituted CHARLIE alert level three on several railway sections.
Warsaw asked the United States for support in elucidating the cases, and, according to Polish media, the investigation was also taken over by the National Security Agency (NSA), responsible for electronic surveillance and the security of American communications. Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, called the incident an act of sabotage that required a firm response.
At the same time, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) warns that Russia is intensifying destabilization activities aimed at weakening NATO and creating a political and informational climate favorable to possible future military actions against the Alliance.
