Deutsche Tageszeitung - Polish PM denounces 'sabotage' of railway supply line to Ukraine

The damage, which authorities have said was discovered on Sunday, directly targeted "the security of the Polish state and its civilians," Tusk wrote in the post on X.

He did not say who authorities believe is behind the sabotage.

Poland blames Russia for what it says are multiple incidents of sabotage since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, accusations angrily denied by the Kremlin.

Poland -- a NATO and EU member -- has become the main hub for transporting military and humanitarian support to Ukraine.

The rail route was called "critically important" by Tusk after he visited the site in Mika, 100 kilometres (62 miles) southeast of Warsaw.

The prime minister added that the route, used daily by dozens of trains, "is also of crucial importance for delivering aid to Ukraine".

According to Tusk, the damage to the track "was likely intended to derail a train" -- a danger averted as a driver spotted the damage. No one was injured.

Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said the explosion was triggered via a cable, a fragment of which was found at the scene.

"We will catch the perpetrators, whoever they are," said Tusk in his X post.

He later said the country's national security committee, including military commanders and representative from the president, would meet Tuesday.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated on Monday in Brussels that the alliance remains "in close contact with Polish authorities", who are investigating the incident.

"The threats to our security are real and growing," EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said on X in response to Tusk's post, calling on Europe to "urgently boost capacity to protect our skies and our infrastructure".

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga expressed his "solidarity with friendly Poland" and promised Ukrainian assistance in the ongoing investigation "if called upon".

He suggested the incident could be "another hybrid attack by Russia -- to test responses".

The interior minister also mentioned two other incidents reported on the same railway line, which are also being investigated.

According to Kierwinski, several dozen meters (feet) of rail line was damaged near the city of Pulawy, causing a train to stop; and a few hundred meters further, an obstruction was placed on one of the rails.

No accidents were caused in those incidents.

AFP journalists who arrived on the scene in Mika on Monday found that the tracks were already being repaired, and that the area was being guarded by police and railway security guards.

In recent years Poland has restricted of Russian diplomats on its soil, ordered the closure of two Russian consulates, and detained a total of 55 individuals suspected of acting on behalf of Moscow.

(V.Sørensen--DTZ)