Poland has accused Russia of conducting an “unprecedented” campaign of interference targeting its upcoming presidential election, scheduled for 18 May.
The warning, delivered by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski, comes amid heightened concern over cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and hybrid threats aimed at destabilising the Polish state.
Speaking at a defence conference on Tuesday, Gawkowski said that Poland, due to its central role in coordinating Western aid to Ukraine, had become a priority target for Russian hostile activities. “During the current presidential elections in Poland, we are facing an unprecedented attempt to interfere in the electoral process from the Russian side,” he said.
Gawkowski outlined a pattern of hostile behaviour that includes a sharp increase in cyberattacks on Polish critical infrastructure. According to the minister, targets have included utilities companies, power plants, and public sector institutions. “This is being done by spreading disinformation in combination with hybrid attacks… in order to paralyse the normal functioning of the state,” he stated.
He noted that during his speech alone, Polish cyber defence systems recorded “a dozen or so incidents targeting critical infrastructure,” highlighting the scale and intensity of the threats. Gawkowski added that the volume of Russian-linked cyber activity in 2025 has already more than doubled compared to the previous year.
The Russian embassy in Warsaw did not respond to requests for comment. Moscow has consistently denied allegations of election interference and has criticised previous claims, including Romania’s cancellation of its presidential election in December 2024, which was attributed to similar suspicions of Russian involvement.
Poland has been on elevated alert for cyber and hybrid threats since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. As a frontline NATO and EU member state bordering Ukraine, Belarus, and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, Poland has adopted an increasingly assertive posture on national cybersecurity and counter-intelligence.
In March this year, Polish authorities reported a cyberattack against the country’s space agency, believed to have been perpetrated by actors with links to Russian intelligence. A separate 2024 incident involved the state news agency, which officials similarly attributed to hostile cyber activity originating from Russia.
The accusations come as Poland’s political parties intensify their campaigns ahead of the first round of voting in the presidential election. The contest, expected to be tightly fought, takes place against a backdrop of growing regional instability and fears of foreign interference in European democratic processes.
Warsaw and its Western allies have previously accused Moscow of broader sabotage and arson activities across Europe, with several incidents under investigation in Germany, France, and the Czech Republic. In April, the Czech government expelled a Russian diplomat in connection with a suspected sabotage plot. Russia has denied all such allegations and accuses the West of conducting its own campaigns of provocation and disinformation.
As election day nears, Polish authorities are expected to further strengthen digital security protocols and coordination with European partners. According to Gawkowski, these measures include enhanced monitoring of digital infrastructure, the deployment of cyber defence units, and real-time sharing of intelligence with allied governments.
The Polish security services, in cooperation with NATO and the EU, have warned that future threats may not be limited to cyberattacks alone. Hybrid tactics—ranging from fake news dissemination and deepfake videos to sabotage of physical infrastructure—are being treated as potential tools of disruption.
Although Poland has not provided specific evidence linking individual attacks to Russian state agencies, officials say the pattern and technical signatures are consistent with previous Russian operations.
The latest warnings add to a growing body of concerns about the integrity of democratic institutions in Europe, particularly as several EU member states prepare for elections in 2025 and 2026. The European Commission has repeatedly emphasised the need to safeguard electoral systems from foreign manipulation and has called for stronger coordination among member states on cybersecurity and information integrity.
Polish intelligence and digital affairs bodies continue to monitor the situation and have urged the public to rely on verified sources of information. Authorities are also working with social media platforms and news outlets to counteract the spread of false narratives and manipulated content.
The presidential vote on 18 May will serve as a key test of Poland’s resilience to foreign interference and its capacity to defend electoral integrity in the face of growing geopolitical pressure.
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