Poland Accuses Russia of Interfering in Presidential Elections Through Cyberattacks and Disinformation

Poland is facing a serious attempt by Russia to interfere in its upcoming presidential elections, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digitalization Krzysztof Gawkowski.

Speaking at a defense conference, Gawkowski said the interference involves a combination of cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns aimed at disrupting the country's democratic process.

“During the current presidential elections in Poland, we are facing an unprecedented attempt to interfere in the electoral process from the Russian side,” he said. “This is being done by spreading disinformation and launching hybrid attacks on Polish critical infrastructure to paralyze the normal functioning of the state.”

Gawkowski noted that Russian cyberattacks have more than doubled compared to last year. He revealed that during every minute of his speech, Polish systems recorded several incidents targeting key infrastructure such as water and sewage services, power plants, energy networks, and government offices.

In March, the Polish Space Agency (POLSA) was hit by a cyberattack. More recently, the ruling Civic Platform (PO) party, led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, was targeted by cyber groups linked to Russia and Belarus.

Disinformation about the presidential elections is also spreading online, especially in the English-speaking internet, with attackers even posing as major news outlets like CNN.

According to Polish authorities, Russian intelligence agencies are offering payments of EUR 3,000 to 4,000 to individuals for sharing false information aimed at influencing the elections.

The first round of Poland’s presidential elections is scheduled for May 18, with a potential second round on June 1.