Poland blames Russia for cyber aggression to destabilize country

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - A senior Polish official blamed Russia for the escalating cyber aggression campaign targeting numerous websites in Poland.

“A hacking group (Noname057) acting on behalf of the Russian special services publishes more information about DDoS attacks on Polish websites. These activities are an example of the use of cyber aggression to influence public sentiment during the election campaign,” Secretary of State in the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, Stanislaw Zaryn, wrote late Tuesday on X.

He said hackers claimed that the attacks were a response to the Polish government's policies and "Russophobia" of Polish authorities, which the Polish society allegedly "rejects."

“Russian services use hackers to send a message to Poles suggesting that changing the ‘Russophobic’ authorities of Poland will stop the attacks,” said Zaryn.

“Russia's goal is to intimidate Poland, destabilize the state and society, and to influence Poles during the election period to correct Warsaw's policy towards Russia and Ukraine,” he said.

Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW), police and rail companies launched an investigation earlier in August after emergency radio stop signals were broadcast one weekend, halting or delaying nearly 100 trains across the northwestern and northeastern regions of the country.

The National Prosecutor's (PK) Office said two men, including a public servant, were charged Aug. 22 in connection with the incidents. They face up to eight years in prison.