Poland investigates drone factory arson as possible sabotage
Polish law enforcement authorities are investigating the deliberate arson of the WB Electronics defense industry enterprise in the city of Skarżysko-Kamienna in central Poland. The plant manufactures unmanned aerial systems. The fire occurred on August 31, and the damage was preliminarily estimated at at least 15 million zlotys, or 3.5 million euros.
Sabotage investigation
As Balkan Insight reports, prosecutors established that an incendiary device containing flammable materials had been left on the company’s premises. The fire destroyed warehouse facilities. No one has been charged in the case so far.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he had no doubt that the fire was deliberate and called it an act of sabotage. According to him, the coming weeks and months will be particularly difficult for countries in the region because of efforts by Russia, the aggressor state, to increase tensions and destabilization.
The prosecutor’s office is investigating the case under articles concerning participation in the activities of foreign intelligence and a terrorist crime. The investigation is being conducted jointly by the prosecutor’s office, Poland’s Internal Security Agency and the police.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Warsaw’s diplomatic response
On September 3, Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Russian Ambassador Georgy Mikhnо, expressing protest over what Warsaw described as an escalation of Moscow’s aggressive actions. Poland had previously held Russian special services responsible for a series of arsons and acts of sabotage against infrastructure and commercial sites in the country and other European states.
The issue of Russian hybrid operations also dominated a meeting of the foreign ministers of Poland, Germany and France in Weimar. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said that summoning the Russian ambassador was partly a gesture of solidarity with Germany and a condemnation of what he called Russian state terrorism.
Sikorski stressed that Poland would not accept arson, attacks on railways, killings and provocations. He also said that Warsaw does not seek conflict with Russia, but believes that Moscow is waging a hybrid war.
