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Russian Cyberattacks Nearly Plunged Poland Into a Nationwide Blackout
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Russia carried out a series of cyberattacks targeting Poland’s energy infrastructure at the end of December 2025, nearly triggering a nationwide blackout, according to Polish officials.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski told RMF24 that the attacks represented the most serious cyber assault on the country’s energy system to date.
“This was the most severe attack on our energy infrastructure, aimed at cutting off electricity to citizens at the end of December,” he said.
Gawkowski stated that the attacks took place during a period of unfavorable weather conditions, which made it significantly more difficult to stabilize the situation. He described the incident as an act of sabotage.
“Everything indicates we were dealing with Russian sabotage, which must be called by its real name—an attempt to destabilize Poland,” he added. The minister warned that the country was dangerously close to experiencing widespread power outages and referred to the attacks as a form of “digital tanks” crossing the border.
Polish Energy Minister Miłosz Motyka had earlier confirmed that several cyberattacks on electricity-generating facilities occurred in the final days of 2025 but were unsuccessful. This followed a previous incident in August 2025, when hackers attempted to disable a hydroelectric power station in Pomeranian Voivodeship near Gdańsk.
In that attack, the intruders changed operational parameters to extreme values, forcing a shutdown of the generator and rotor.
Polish automation systems that manage critical infrastructure continue to face repeated cyber threats. In November 2025, a 23-year-old Russian citizen was arrested in Poland for allegedly infiltrating IT systems belonging to Polish and European companies.
The Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime (CBZC) reported the arrest and stated that investigations were ongoing.
Despite the severity of the attacks, Gawkowski stressed that Poland’s digital security systems are robust and prepared to respond to future threats. “There is no reason to panic,” he said.
Earlier, pro-Russian hackers breached a small hydropower plant near Gdańsk in Poland’s Pomeranian region, forcing the generator and rotor to shut down by manipulating control systems.
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