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Rail sabotage incidents ‘act of state-sponsored terror’ by Russia, Poland’s foreign minister says
Poland’s foreign minister Radosław Sikorski is now speaking in the Polish parliament.
He calls the rail sabotage incidents over the weekend “an act of state-sponsored terror” from Russia adding “the clear intention was to cause human casualties.”
He also warns against a “tsunami” of disinformation about the attack.
He says that Poland will respond to the sabotage, “not only diplomatically,” without offering more detail.
He then shifts the focus on his speech, mounting a passionate defence of Poland’s membership in the EU against the Eurosceptic opposition.
He pointedly uses Britain as the prime example that being outside the union is worse, as he talks about the negative consequences for the UK economy, while “migrants still keep coming in as before – just not from the EU, but from the poorer regions of the world.”
“Nearly ten years after Brexit, the promised benefits still haven’t realised for the British people. And we are talking about one of the world’s largest economies, after all. Do you really believe that Poland will fare better outside the community?”
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Morning opening: Nine dead after intense Russian strike on western Ukraine
Jakub Krupa
At least nine people died in a Russian attack on western Ukraine overnight, with dozens wounded, the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said.
Residents walk in front of an apartment building which was damaged during a morning Russian missile strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Ternopil, Ukraine. Photograph: Volodymyr Zelenskyy/Telegram/Reuters
Zelenskyy said that Russia launched more than 470 attack drones and 48 missiles overnight.
“Every brazen attack against ordinary life proves that the pressure on Russia is still insufficient,” he warned.
“Russia must be held accountable for its actions, and we must stay focused on everything that strengthens us and enables us to shoot down Russian missiles, neutralise Russian drones, and stop assaults,” he added.
The attack comes just hours before Zelenskyy is expected in Turkey as he hopes to reinvigorate frozen peace talks, which have faltered after several rounds of Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul this year failed to yield a breakthrough.
The overnight attack was so intense that neighbouring Poland was forced to close two airports and scramble its fighter jets to patrol airspace near the border with Ukraine as a precautionary measure.
Poland’s foreign minister, Radosław Sikorski, is due to speak in the Polish parliament in the next few minutes, outlining the country’s diplomatic response to the alleged Russian rail sabotage attacks over the weekend.
We will also look at the latest defence and AI announcements from the European Commission, the latest on Danish local elections, and monitor Lithuania as the country is expected to review its decision to close its borders with Belarus.
Lots for us to cover.
It’s Wednesday, 19 November 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
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