Poland accuses Russia of recruiting citizens to influence presidential election

Poland accuses Russia of recruiting citizens to influence presidential election

A senior member of the Polish government accused Russia of attempting to recruit Polish citizens via the dark web to influence the upcoming presidential election. Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski warned that Russian intelligence services were targeting Polish nationals to spread disinformation during the campaign for the May election.

Gawkowski revealed that Russia's military intelligence (GRU) and its Federal Security Service (FSB) were offering Polish citizens between 3,000 and 4,000 euros ($3,130-$4,170) in exchange for helping to shape the election's narrative through misleading content. He stated that this recruitment was taking place on the dark net, a hidden part of the internet only accessible via specialized browsers.

“This is money directed from Russian services looking for people to promote their content here in Poland,” Gawkowski told Reuters. Poland's government has been monitoring these efforts since the beginning of the year, he added, and warned that such activities could undermine the integrity of the election process.

Poland has long raised concerns about the threat of foreign interference in its elections, particularly from Russia. In recent months, Warsaw has emphasized that the country’s role in supporting Ukraine against Russia’s invasion makes it a prime target for Russian efforts to destabilize the region. The Polish government also recently identified a Russian group specifically tasked with influencing Polish elections through disinformation campaigns.

The accusation comes amid heightened tensions between Poland, Russia, and Belarus. Warsaw has repeatedly warned of espionage and sabotage activities by agents from Moscow and Minsk, though both Russia and Belarus have denied any involvement. In December 2024, neighboring Romania annulled a presidential election after similar claims of Russian interference, which Moscow also denied.

Poland has also bolstered its defense against cyber threats in recent years. After a cyberattack on its state news agency PAP in 2024, believed to have been orchestrated by Russia, the government announced plans to invest over PLN 3 billion ($760 million) to strengthen the nation’s cybersecurity infrastructure. Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak warned that Poland should be prepared for more cyberattacks in the future.


Back to the list

Latest Posts

Cyber Security Week in Review: February 14, 2025

Cyber Security Week in Review: February 14, 2025

In brief: Microsoft patches actively exploited zero-days, Chinese hackers Salt Typhoon exploit Cisco flaws, the US and partners sanction Zservers, and more.
14 February 2025
Russian Sandworm APT targets critical sectors in BadPilot multi-year campaign

Russian Sandworm APT targets critical sectors in BadPilot multi-year campaign

The 'BadPilot' campaign involves a series of targeted cyberattacks leveraging bugs in widely used IT infrastructure software.
13 February 2025
Four key distributors of encrypted communications service Sky ECC arrested in Spain and Netherlands

Four key distributors of encrypted communications service Sky ECC arrested in Spain and Netherlands

The two men arrested in Spain are accused of overseeing the global distribution of Sky ECC devices and software.
12 February 2025