Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The commandor says the atmosphere has shifted in recent months, creating a sense of growing vulnerability across the country.
Poland’s Chief of the General Staff, General Wieslaw Kukula, told Polskie Radio that Moscow had “begun the period of preparation for war.”
He said Russian activities were shaping conditions that could enable “potential aggression on Polish territory.”
Echoes of 1939
Asked about U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s comparison of today’s global climate to 1939 and 1981, Kukula called it “a very good comparison.”
1939 was the year, Nazi-Germany invaded Poland, officially marking the beginning of World War 2.
1981 is generally concidered the height of the Cold War.
He argued that deterrence relies heavily on collective resolve and the behavior of ordinary citizens.
Railroad destroyed in act of sabotage
The General’s remarks landed just hours before Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk revealed that a key railway line between Warsaw and Lublin had been blown up in what he described as an “unprecedented act of sabotage.”
The damaged route also functioned as an important corridor for Ukrainian military aid from Western partners.
While Warsaw has not identified a culprit, Polish officials have repeatedly warned about an uptick in espionage and sabotage linked to Russian and Belarusian intelligence structures.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sîbiga suggested the railway blast might reflect a new hybrid strike designed to “test reactions.”
Hybrid warnings
Kukula said before the explosion that the country was experiencing a situation of “pre-war” – what is commonly known as hybrid war.
His assessment mirrors concerns voiced by Western intelligence services about increasingly assertive Russian operations across Europe, from drone incursions to cyberattacks.
German intelligence chief Martin Jaeger recently told lawmakers that Moscow appears ready to probe European borders and escalate tensions, noting repeated violations of NATO airspace.
NATO alert
Earlier in September, Polish and NATO forces shot down several Russian drones that crossed into Polish airspace.
The incident marked the first time the alliance had downed Russian equipment since the invasion of Ukraine.
It triggered calls among some member states to strengthen defenses and consider countering Russian aircraft more aggressively if required.
Russia denies any plans of aggression
The Russian government has repeatedly denied any plans about aggression towards NATO.
On the contrary, the Kremlin continues to claim that NATO is actually preparing for a full-scale confrontation with Russia.
The Kremlin also claimed that NATO and Ukraine were plotting to attack Russia, and used this claim to justify the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Sources: Polskie Radio, HotNews, The Kyiv Independent
