White House responds to hybrid attacks on Poland
The United States has expressed strong support for Poland in the face of increasing Russian hybrid attacks.
White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby.Photo: EPA/Al Drago / POOL
„We’re staying in very close touch with our Polish allies and partners and making sure that they have what they need,” US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said during a press briefing at the Foreign Press Center in Washington.
Kirby addressed a series of incidents in Poland and echoed Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski’s concerns about Poland being the target of a “hybrid operation.”
Kirby highlighted America’s commitment to monitoring the situation closely and supporting Poland.
„We’re watching these issues with great concern,” he said. „And certainly, I think you can imagine we’re staying in very close touch with our Polish allies and partners.”
When questioned about when these actions might necessitate a NATO response, Kirby noted that such decisions are made collectively by the Western military alliance and mentioned that there is currently no active discussion regarding invoking Article 5 of the NATO, which says that an armed attack on one member will be considered an attack on all.
The recent wave of incidents includes another Polish security officer being injured during an attempt by a group of illegal migrants to forcefully cross the border from Belarus.
Last week, a Polish soldier near the eastern village of Dubicze Cerkiewne was stabbed and hospitalized with serious injuries, while three other Border Guard officers sustained minor injuries in separate attacks last and this week.
Additionally, Poland’s state news agency PAP was likely targeted by a Russian cyberattack, according to a government minister.
The cyberattack resulted in the publication of a false article about military mobilization on its news feed.
Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski told broadcaster Polsat News that „everything indicates that we are dealing with a cyberattack that was directed from the Russian side.”
He added that security services, including the Internal Security Agency, were investigating the incident.
Warsaw has repeatedly accused Moscow of attempts to destabilize Poland due to its role in supplying military aid to Ukraine. These allegations have been dismissed by Russian officials.
(jh/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, state.gov
