Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said that a fire at a Polish factory supplying drone components to Ukraine was an act of sabotage, as Europe grapples with a growing wave of suspected Russian hybrid attacks. The blaze broke out overnight from Sunday into Monday at a facility operated by WB Group, one of Poland’s largest privately owned defense companies, in the south-central city of Skarżysko-Kamienna. The plant supplies drone parts to the Polish and Ukrainian militaries. Speaking during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Tusk described the incident as “a deliberate arson attack, an act of sabotage.” Prosecutors had previously said they were investigating the fire as a possible “terrorist crime” carried out on behalf of a foreign intelligence agency. Investigators believe the blaze was started by placing a device containing flammable material at the facility. Storage rooms were destroyed, causing at least 15 million zloty (€3.5 million) in damage. No one was injured, and the plant was not operating at the time of the fire. No suspects have so far been charged. Another defense-industry blaze Tusk also addressed a separate fire that gutted a production and warehouse facility belonging to JFG Composites, an aircraft components manufacturer, in the eastern city of Lublin on Sunday. “In the case of Lublin, we do not have such evidence, but given the nature of the production, we cannot rule out the possibility that this was also a deliberate arson attack,” Tusk said. Around 60 firefighters battled the blaze at the 2,000-square-meter facility for about seven hours. Damage has been estimated at 30 million zloty (€6.9 million). Tusk warned that the coming months of Russia’s war against Ukraine would be crucial not only for Kyiv but also for countries on NATO’s eastern flank, pointing to the threat of destabilization and provocations by Moscow. Berlin blames Russia A number of suspected hybrid attacks have been reported across Europe in recent weeks, adding to concerns over Russian sabotage operations. Germany on Tuesday accused Moscow of being behind an attempted attack at Leipzig airport last month, where an explosives-laden drone was discovered near a Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft used to transport military supplies. “The means used, such as the drone configuration, components, explosives and detonation systems, are known to us from other hybrid operations by Russia and its war against Ukraine,” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said. Berlin announced a series of measures in response, including the closure of a Russian consulate and cultural center. On Wednesday, German media reported that investigators had identified two suspects – a Russian-born Latvian national and a Russian national from Belarus – in connection with the incident. German police have also launched an investigation after unexploded incendiary devices were found at a power plant near the Polish border, with local officials describing the incident as sabotage. Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations that it is behind sabotage operations in Europe, describing such claims as part of an anti-Russian campaign.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk highlighted the threat of destabilization and provocations carried out by Moscow. (PAP/Piotr Nowak)
