Polish Minister of Digitalization Krzysztof Gawkowski revealed that Russian special services have intensified recruitment attempts targeting Polish citizens to destabilize the country ahead of the presidential elections on May 18, 2025, RMF FM reports.
According to Gawkowski, Russian intelligence aims to use recruited individuals to spread disinformation within Poland's digital space. He emphasized that any contact with foreign intelligence agencies is classified as espionage and could result in criminal prosecution.
Since the beginning of the year, Russian military intelligence has shown an unprecedented effort to recruit Poles, Gawkowski noted.
He also disclosed that hacker groups allegedly linked to Russia are offering financial incentives for activities against the Polish state. Such proposals have been identified on various online platforms, including the Darknet.
The minister described these actions as part of Russia's broader cyberwar against Europe and stressed the need to raise public awareness of these risks.
Gawkowski announced that the Polish government would soon unveil a cybersecurity plan to protect the upcoming elections. The strategy will focus on countering cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns.
He assured that Polish authorities are taking all necessary steps to ensure the elections are transparent and democratic despite external threats.
