Polish government claims two Russian groups actively engaging in cyberattacks against Poland

06/28/2024 / By Laura Harris

Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski has announced that two Russian groups, orchestrated by the Russian military intelligence service GRU, are actively engaging in cyberattacks against Poland.

During an interview on the Polish news channel TVN24 on June 25, Gawkowski revealed that one of these groups is focused on spreading disinformation within Poland, while the other is targeting and attempting to paralyze the country’s critical infrastructure.

“They operate in coordination. On one side, they target critical infrastructures, and on the other, they spread disinformation to create panic and showcase the government’s inability to cope,” said Gawkowski. (Related: Cyberattack breaches software platform used by 12 ministries in Norway.)

Discussing the potential worst-case scenarios, Gawkowski described attacks on critical infrastructure that could disrupt essential services such as water, electricity and sewage. He noted that there have been attempts of this nature over the past six months, which underscores the seriousness and persistence of the threat.

“We are prepared for any incident, but I imagine that the Russian GRU does not prepare operations just to block my phone,” he continued.

Despite the potential severity of the operation, Gawkowski reassured the public that Polish security services are aware of these threats and that the country’s cybersecurity operations center has already taken action to counter them.

“Our services have already identified these threats, and our cybersecurity operations center has taken action,” Gawkowski said.

GRU has been targeting Poland due to its connection with Ukraine

The GRU, or Main Intelligence Directorate, is a significant institution within Russian military intelligence, known for its extensive cyber capabilities and strategic operations. Just like the claims of Gawkowski, the Russian GRU has been engaging in cyberattacks against Poland.

In May, Poland’s state-owned news agency, the Polish Press Agency (PAP), was likely the target of a Russian cyberattack, which led to the publication of a false article about military mobilization. The controversial article, which appeared on PAP’s news feed twice in late May, just days before the European Parliament elections, falsely claimed that Prime Minister Donald Tusk planned to mobilize 200,000 people to fight in Ukraine.

“The false article was published twice,” PAP wrote. “It was withdrawn both times. After the first withdrawal, it was re-released.”

In line with this, PAP Deputy Editor-in-Chief Justyna Wojteczek assured the public that measures are being taken to prevent future incidents: “We have identified the source of access. We have secured this path,” Wojteczek told private broadcaster Polsat News.

Gawkowski also addressed the issue on Polsat News, confirming that special services, including the Internal Security Agency, are investigating the matter.

“Everything indicates that we are dealing with a cyberattack that was directed from the Russian side,” Gawkowski said. “The goal is disinformation ahead of [the European Parliament] elections and a paralysis of the society.”

These hacking incidents further heightened the tensions between Warsaw and Moscow, as Poland continues to play a crucial role in supplying military aid to Ukraine.

Visit CyberWar.news for more stories about cyberattacks happening around the world.

Watch InfoWars founder Alex Jones as he issues a cyberattack warning.

This video is from the EARTH SHAKING NEWS channel on Brighteon.com.