Dr. Yalçın Aydın

Poland has launched a special security operation along its border with Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave after warnings that acts of sabotage could take place in the coming days. RMF FM, citing unnamed sources, reports that Poland’s Military Intelligence Service and other agencies warned last week of possible sabotage, including border violations by armed groups. Police, military, Border Guard and intelligence services are involved, and a Polish police official linked the operation to sabotage and activity by “eastern services.” Police have also been ordered to full readiness from November 2 to 8. No incident has been reported. This follows a rise in warnings from European officials about Russia’s hybrid warfare campaign. On October 1st, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Europe must be ready for regular Russian sabotage, arson and other hybrid attacks, and Danish and Lithuanian intelligence have warned of more to come. Estonia formally accused Russia of an August arson attack on a robotics company, and European officials have blamed Moscow for arson, assassination plots and drone incursions into NATO territory. Moscow’s role in many of these incidents has not been proven.