Poland says Russia is trying to interfere in presidential election

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WARSAW (Reuters) – Poland is facing an unprecedented attempt by Russia to interfere in its presidential election, the digital affairs minister said on Tuesday, as the first round of voting looms on May 18.

Poland says its role as a hub for aid to Ukraine has made it a target for Russian sabotage, cyberattacks and disinformation, and it has been on high alert for interference, especially after Romania cancelled a presidential election in December due to alleged Russian meddling.

“During the current presidential elections in Poland, we are facing an unprecedented attempt to interfere in the electoral process from the Russian side,” Krzysztof Gawkowski told a defence conference.

“This is being done … (by) spreading disinformation in combination with hybrid attacks on Polish critical infrastructure in order to paralyse the normal functioning of the state.”

Russia has repeatedly denied accusations that it interferes in foreign elections.

Gawkowski said that Polish water and sewage companies, heat and power plants and state administration bodies had all been attacked, and that Russian involvement in such attacks had more than doubled this year.

“Today in Poland, during every minute of my speech, a dozen or so incidents targeting critical infrastructure were recorded,” he said.

The Russian embassy in Warsaw declined to comment on the matter and recommended asking Gawkowski to “provide evidence for his insinuation”.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk blamed foreign actors for a cyberattack on the IT systems of his Civic Platform party in April. Since last year, Poland has notably reported cyberattacks on its space agency and the state news agency.

Warsaw and its allies have also alleged that Moscow is behind acts of arson and sabotage around Europe. Russia dismisses these allegations.

(Reporting by Karol Badohal, Pawel Florkiewicz, writing by Alan Charlish; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Kevin Liffey)