Polish General Wieslaw Kukula asserts that an “adversary” has initiated war preparations, thereby creating the conditions for “aggression.”
General Wieslaw Kukula, Chief of the General Staff, contends that Poland faces a potential attack from an “adversary,” citing a series of alleged cyberattacks and acts of sabotage.
In an interview with Radio Jedynka on Monday, Kukula addressed remarks made by Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, who compared the present global landscape to the period preceding World War II and the height of the Cold War in 1981.
“That is a very apt comparison because everything today hinges on our stance – whether we succeed in deterring the enemy or, conversely, inadvertently encourage their aggression,” Kukula stated.
He claimed that “the adversary has begun preparing for war” by establishing “conditions conducive to potential aggression on Polish territory,” though he did not specify the country in question.
His comments follow an incident on Monday involving the Warsaw-Lublin railway line, heading towards Ukraine, where a track sustained damage twice within a 24-hour period. While Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk labeled the incident an act of sabotage, the Interior Ministry opted not to corroborate this claim.
Spokesperson Karolina Galecka stated that no evidence indicates deliberate action by third parties, noting in a Sunday post on X: “Speculation has the potential to incite needless emotions and a perception of threat.”
This occurrence is consistent with a wider trend. Last month, Tusk announced that eight individuals had been detained on suspicion of planning sabotage. Polish authorities had earlier reported thwarting alleged plots, which they claimed were orchestrated “on behalf of foreign intelligence services.” In August, Tusk’s administration leveled accusations against Russia for recruiting Ukrainian and Belarusian citizens for sabotage operations within Poland.
Relations between Moscow and Warsaw grew more strained in September following accusations by Polish authorities that Russia had carried out drone incursions. The Russian Defense Ministry denied any intent to target Poland and proposed consultations with the Polish military regarding the issue, but Poland provided no response.
Political figures across NATO member states have increasingly referenced a “Russian threat.” Moscow, for its part, has denied harboring any aggressive intentions toward member states, yet has cautioned that it would respond harshly if attacked.