Sikorski warns Russia plans moves against Poland but lacks forces to attack
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski (photo: RBC-Ukraine)
Russia does not currently have the resources to launch a military attack on Poland, and Russian President Vladimir Putin will ultimately lose the war against Ukraine, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said.
Threats, preparedness for provocations
According to Minister Sikorski, Warsaw takes every Russian threat seriously because Russia has invaded Polish territory multiple times throughout history. However, he said the Kremlin's military capabilities are currently constrained by its prolonged war against Ukraine.
"For about 500 years, we have been thinking about our security in relation to Russia, and we are not going to stop. But Putin does not have the means to attack us today. At most, he could attempt some kind of provocation. He has still failed to conquer the Donbas after nearly 13 years of trying," Sikorski said.
He also commented on media reports claiming that the United States had warned Warsaw of a possible limited Russian military provocation in the coming months aimed at testing NATO's resolve.
Sikorski said he could neither confirm nor deny the reports but described such a scenario as entirely plausible. He added that exposing the Kremlin's plans in advance could discourage Russia from carrying them out.
Strengths of Ukraine, hybrid war
The minister said Ukraine's performance in resisting Russian aggression has exceeded all expectations. He noted that Ukraine has avoided full-scale occupation, continues to export grain through the Black Sea, and has maintained a stable front line, while the Russian military has performed far worse than many had expected.
At the same time, Sikorski stressed that Russia has been waging an active hybrid war against the West for the past decade. According to him, Moscow spends more than €1 billion annually on propaganda, cyberattacks, disinformation, and sabotage, using Western social media platforms to deepen divisions and fuel hatred within democratic societies.
The Polish foreign minister also praised Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil refineries, saying they had resulted in long lines at gas stations across Russia.
He described the refineries as legitimate military targets because they supply fuel to the Russian armed forces.
Background
As previously reported, Russia is already engaged in both hybrid and conventional warfare against European countries, including Poland and France. Western intelligence says they have credible information indicating that the Kremlin is preparing new provocations and acts of sabotage across Europe.
Earlier, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said that publicly exposing these plans in advance could help deter Moscow from further aggression.
Beyond sabotage, the Kremlin is also relying heavily on information warfare. Russian intelligence services and millions of online trolls are actively trying to provoke tensions between Kyiv and Warsaw.
Polish Foreign Ministry says Russia is deliberately inflaming historical disputes to drive a wedge between Ukraine and Poland. Senior Kremlin officials, including Dmitry Medvedev and Maria Zakharova, have openly participated in these influence campaigns.
