Tusk warns of possible Russian ‘hybrid’ attacks on Ukraine’s supporters

Warsaw, Poland. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Thursday that unnamed intelligence agencies had warned of Russian plans for “hybrid” drone and missile attacks against countries supporting Ukraine.

He said the potential strikes could be presented as accidental and aimed at weakening NATO states’ resolve to invoke alliance provisions in the event of aggression against a member country.

Warning to parliament

Speaking in parliament, Tusk said the alleged attacks would be intended to “paralyse or at least weaken” NATO countries’ resolve to respond to aggression against an alliance member.

He did not identify the intelligence agencies that provided the warning. The Russian Embassy in Warsaw did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

European countries suspect Moscow of carrying out a series of sabotage acts in recent months to pressure allies, particularly Germany, that support Kyiv’s resistance to Russia’s full-scale invasion. The Kremlin has strongly denied the allegations.

Political concerns

Tusk said such attacks could coincide with political changes in European countries that give power, or a strong voice, to groups calling for peace, pacifism and an end to casualties, which he said could amount to calls for Ukraine’s total capitulation.

He appeared to refer to the rise of parties seen as more Russia-friendly, including France’s National Rally and Alternative for Germany.

Airspace measures

Earlier, Poland said it scrambled military aircraft in response to a Russian attack in western Ukraine near the Polish border.

Airports in Rzeszow and Lublin were temporarily closed, while residents in two eastern Polish regions received air raid warnings. Local media reported that sirens sounded and pupils at some schools sought shelter.

On Sunday, a Russian drone struck a passenger train in Ukraine, two kilometres from the Polish border.

Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said Poland was strengthening airspace protection, including increased F-16 and helicopter activity and reinforced air defence and rapid-response systems.