Minister for digital affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski
Poland’s Minister for Digital Affairs, Krzysztof Gawkowski, announced on Monday the recent dismantling of a Russian-Belarusian sabotage group that aimed to carry out acts of individual and institutional blackmail in the country, AFP reports.
“In recent days, a sabotage group with specific objectives in Poland has been dismantled,” Gawkowski told the press.
The group, identified by its Russian and Belarusian origins, sought to “pave the way for acts of individual and institutional blackmail,” specifically targeting Poland’s anti-doping agency POLADA.
Through POLADA, the group intended to gain access to other Polish institutions, including local administrations and public companies tied to security, Gawkowski added, without providing further details.
“The operational goal set by the adversaries, namely access, phishing, and subsequent blackmail, has been thwarted,” he said.
Additionally, Gawkowski highlighted a sharp rise in cyberattacks against Polish institutions over the past year.
“In the first six months of 2024, over 400,000 cases of cyberattacks were reported in Poland,” the minister said, noting a 100% increase in a year. In 2023, a total of 370,000 incidents were recorded.
