Polish prosecutor Przemysław Nowak disclosed fresh details on two men accused of sabotage, whose alleged plots involved a planned escape to Belarus and the use of explosives on railway tracks, during a Wednesday press conference.
Background on the Accused
Oleksander K., 39, and Jewhenij I., 41, are the male suspects. Prosecutor Nowak said the alleged sabotage involved a planned trip to Belarus and cooperation with a Ukrainian contact. No convictions have been made in Poland to date.
Current Legal Status
No temporary arrest request has been filed yet; such measures are usually employed in similar cases. The prosecutor emphasized that they hold many pieces of information but cannot disclose them at present.
Details of the Alleged Sabotage
Charges cover two incidents, including damage to railway lines near Mika via explosive devices. Investigators recovered a wire likely used to trigger the blast. The first incident occurred Saturday at 20:58 when a freight train was passing. In the second incident, near Puław in Gołąb on line 7 connecting Warsaw with Dorohusk, operators aimed to damage the catenary and place metal objects on the track that could cause a derailment. Prosecutor Nowak classified the acts as terrorist crimes intended to intimidate, influence public opinion, destabilize public order, and increase societal fear.
Ukrainian President’s Comments
President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the sabotage with Donald Tusk on Wednesday, noting that Ukrainian citizens were allegedly recruited by Russians via the Telegram messenger for these acts. Both leaders stressed the need for cooperation to counter Russian sabotage. Zelensky confirmed that Polish and Ukrainian intelligence agree that all facts point to a Russian signature. He also cited Telegram as a tool used for sabotage operations and disinformation campaigns against Ukraine, and he highlighted daily attacks targeting Ukraine, including its railways.