Suspects Behind Rail Sabotage Identified As 2 Ukrainians Working For Russia: Polish PM

Last Updated:November 18, 2025, 22:34 IST

Poland PM Donald Tusk blamed two Ukrainian citizens working for Russian intelligence for sabotage on train tracks near Mika and Pulawy, disrupting aid to Ukraine and causing chaos.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk at the blast site on Monday. (Donald Tusk/X)

Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk said two Ukrainian citizens, who worked for Russian intelligence, have been identified as suspects behind the acts of sabotage on its train tracks, which was crucial for delivering aid to Ukraine.

BBC quoted Tusk informing the parliament that one of the suspects had already been convicted in absentia of acts of sabotage in Ukraine.

On Monday, he visited the site of the explosion near Mika, south-east of Warsaw. He called the incident an “unprecedented act of sabotage".

Another such incident took place near Pulawy that forced a packed train to stop suddenly and damage was found to overhead cables, BBC reported.

In a post on X, Tusk said: “Unfortunately, the worst fears have been confirmed. On the Warsaw-Lublin route (Mika village), an act of sabotage has occurred. The explosion of an explosive device destroyed the railway track. Emergency services and the prosecutor’s office are working at the scene. On the same route, closer to Lublin, damage has also been identified."

BBC quoted a spokesman for Poland’s special services minister as saying on Tuesday that “everything points to them being Russian special services".

The PM refused to disclose the names of the suspects as it could complicate the situation. He, however, said that one suspect was living in Belarus and the other was residing in eastern Ukraine.

He added that both suspects had entered Poland from Belarus during the autumn and has returned via the border crossing at Terespol in the far south-west of Belarus, close to the Ukrainian border. “The goal was to cause a rail catastrophe," Tusk told MPs.

BBC quoted the PM as saying that a military-grade C4 explosive device detonated on November 15 near the village of Mika. The explosion had caused minor damage to a wagon floor, he added.

Speaking on the other explosion, PM Tusk said a train carrying 475 passengers had to suddenly brake due to damaged railway infrastructure.

He further informed the MPs that an order will be issued raising the alert level on certain railway lines.

Pointing out Russia’s role, he said: “I want to emphasise that what the Russian authorities care about is not only the direct effect of this type of action, but also the social and political consequences of the fact that this action is taking place. This of course means disorganisation, chaos, panic, speculation and uncertainty."

Russia has not issued any statements.

News world Suspects Behind Rail Sabotage Identified As 2 Ukrainians Working For Russia: Polish PM

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