Polish PM says sabotage not ruled out after rail line damage

Poland has opened an investigation into damage found on a railway line south of Warsaw, and officials say the possibility of sabotage cannot be ruled out.

The damage was discovered on Sunday after a train operator reported infrastructure problems near the village of Życzyn in Garwolin County, according to the Polish National Police. No injuries were reported, and the train involved had only two passengers and several crew members on board.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he remains in contact with the interior minister and noted that sabotage “cannot be ruled out.” Tusk added that relevant government agencies are conducting a full investigation.

Polish police said the issue was reported at 7:39 a.m., when the train’s conductor alerted authorities to irregularities on the line in the vicinity of the PKP Mika station. Police officers and railway technicians were dispatched to the scene and confirmed that part of the track had been damaged.

PKP PLK, the country’s rail infrastructure operator, told TVN24 that a previous train had passed through the area and reported a bump or unevenness on the line. The next train was instructed to proceed slowly, and its operator confirmed the irregularity before notifying the company.

Spokeswoman Rusłana Krzemińska said the warnings helped prevent a more serious incident.

Maciej Duszczyk, Poland’s deputy interior minister, said the country has faced “various types of sabotage” in recent months and that this case “may be one of them.” Speaking to TVN24, he added that while some local residents reported hearing an explosion, police have not found evidence to support that claim.

“One should not blame Russia for every act of arson or every situation of this kind,” Duszczyk said. “However, it cannot be ruled out or ignored in any way.”

Images shared by rail dispatchers showed a small section of broken and displaced track beneath the halted train, with several concrete sleepers visibly fractured. Another photo showed a thin wire stretched across an undamaged section of track.

Od godziny 7:30 trwa zamknięcie toru numer 1 na odcinku Dęblin-Życzyn po stwierdzeniu ubytku w torze o długości około 100 cm przez m-stę pociągu 12713 KM Warszawa Zach-Dęblin. Prawdopodobnie doszło do celowego uszkodzenia szyny poprzez detonację ładunku wybuchowego @kuracyja pic.twitter.com/jkJGiQl4SB

— Dyspozytura Trakcji🚆 (@Dyspozytura_T) November 16, 2025