Poland restores rail traffic after suspected sabotage on strategic line to Ukraine

Rail traffic has been fully restored on the Sobolew–Żychlin section in Poland’s Mazovia region after it was damaged in what authorities believe was an act of sabotage.

According to broadcaster RMF24, Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak announced that repairs to the damaged track were completed overnight on November 18, allowing two-way traffic to resume, Caliber.Az reports.

On November 16, Interior Minister Marcin Krysiński confirmed that two additional instances of damage were discovered on the same railway line. One involved a 60-meter stretch of the railway’s power line, while the other was the finding of a metal support directly placed on the tracks, posing a significant risk to transportation.

The restoration comes amid a broader investigation launched on November 17 by the Polish prosecutor’s office following a series of railway incidents. Prosecutors opened proceedings on suspicions of terrorist sabotage, which preliminary findings suggest may have been carried out in the interests of foreign intelligence services.

The inquiry focuses on multiple cases of infrastructure damage recorded between November 15 and 17 along line No. 7, which connects Warsaw East with Dorohusk near the Ukrainian border. The incidents include the destruction of tracks near the villages of Mika and Gołąb, where explosives were reportedly used. The case is being investigated under provisions that allow for a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Authorities emphasised that the affected segment of the Warsaw–Lublin railway line holds strategic significance, particularly for transport supporting Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha suggested that Russia may have been involved in the sabotage attempts and offered Polish authorities assistance in their investigation.

Poland’s Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, has labeled the incident as an act of deliberate sabotage. 

Former Polish MP Paweł Kowal stated that the country is entering the next phase of the war that Russia has declared on Poland. Kowal went on to caution that those who believed Russia would refrain from targeting a NATO member might be mistaken.

While Russian involvement in the sabotage has not been officially confirmed, Kowal underscored the growing pattern of aggression against Poland, pointing to repeated incidents in recent years, including cyberattacks and pressure on the Belarusian border, which he attributes to Moscow.

"These actions demonstrate Russia’s responsibility for such acts," Kowal added.

The ongoing investigation into the sabotage continues as Polish authorities seek to determine the full extent of the damage and identify those responsible.

By Sabina Mammadli