Main image: The appeal follows a string of anti-Ukrainian provocations in the city. Photo by Klaudia Radecka/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Advisors in the Polish port city of Gdynia have reported that Russia is conducting a hybrid war against Ukrainians in Poland. In an official statement to the government, they warned that the city has become a target of Russian operations aimed at undermining the Ukrainian community and destabilizing the region, as reported by TVP World.
The alert follows a series of anti-Ukrainian incidents. This month, police detained a 42-year-old man suspected of setting fire to cars with Ukrainian license plates. Explosive materials were found during a search of his apartment, indicating preparations for further attacks.
Gdynia councilor Łukasz Pesevich, from the Civic Coalition party, said vandalism against Ukrainian symbols and pro-Ukraine locations has increased. He cited an attack on a Ukrainian restaurant, where the perpetrator threatened to destroy the premises because of a Ukrainian flag. According to Pesevich, Russian propaganda has also intensified on social media, with suspicious accounts actively participating in discussions about defending Ukrainians.
City advisors have prepared a resolution for Poland’s Ministry of the Interior. The document states that Gdynia needs reinforced police units and an updated vehicle fleet—at least 45 cars. They emphasized that local authorities cannot finance these costs alone and called for central government support.
The resolution also notes that Gdynia is a strategic NATO hub. Key military and weapon shipments to Ukraine pass through its port, and the city plays an important role in allied logistics. It hosts NATO Gateway, a node supporting U.S. Navy operations in Eastern Europe.
Advisors stressed that security threats extend beyond the city, affecting the whole country. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Polish intelligence has detained dozens suspected of espionage and sabotage for Moscow. This week, eight more people linked to Russian intelligence were arrested. In May, Poland closed the Russian consulate in Krakow after investigators uncovered connections between Russian agents and a shopping center arson in Warsaw.
