Poland Warns Russia Is Waging a “Full-Scale Cognitive War” as Hybrid Threats Intensify

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski says Russia’s operations against Poland go beyond disinformation, describing them as a “full-scale cognitive war” aimed at weakening democratic resilience, public trust and support for Ukraine.

Poland is increasingly framing Russian influence operations as a national-security threat that reaches beyond propaganda. At a Warsaw conference titled “War for the Mind: Fear, Sabotage, Disinformation,” Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said Russia is conducting what he called a “full-scale cognitive war” against Poland and the wider West, according to the reports from Anadolu Agency and Notes from Poland.

“We cannot claim that Russia is conducting only disinformation activities against us. It is waging a full-scale cognitive war against us. I use these words deliberately,” Sikorski said, according to Anadolu.

The remarks reflect Warsaw’s broader concern that Russian hybrid operations are designed not only to mislead citizens but also to shape perceptions, deepen polarization, and weaken democratic decision-making.

Sikorski Calls Russian Activity Cognitive Warfare

Sikorski’s language marks how Poland describes Russian influence activity. According to the Notes from Poland report, he said Moscow is “waging a full-scale cognitive war against us” and described the effort as part of a wider campaign against the entire West.

Sikorski said this is “a war against the entire West, aimed at our alliances, intended to destroy the foundations of the success not only of Poland but of our entire region.”

The term “cognitive warfare,” as described there, is used by NATO and security experts to refer to Moscow’s malicious attempts to influence perceptions, behavior, and decision-making through disinformation, psychological operations, cyber activity, and social media manipulation.

Poland Sees a Wider Hybrid Campaign

The report says the Warsaw conference focused on hybrid threats, cyberattacks, foreign influence operations, and attempts to undermine public trust in democratic institutions. Senior Polish officials attended, including Intelligence and Security Services Coordinator Tomasz Siemoniak.

Polish authorities have repeatedly accused Moscow of using cyberattacks, online influence campaigns, sabotage, and efforts to exploit social divisions. 

Those concerns have intensified since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with Poland serving as a NATO frontline state and a key transit hub for Western military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Recent Polish concerns include alleged Russia-linked cyberattacks on public institutions, attempts to interfere in elections, and sabotage targeting infrastructure and logistics networks connected to support for Ukraine.

Russian Propaganda Spending Increase

Sikorski also pointed to the scale of Russia’s propaganda spending. According to Notes from Poland, he said Russia had spent more than $6 billion on its propaganda apparatus since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including a record $1.4 billion in 2025.

He contrasted that with what he described as much smaller European Union spending on countering foreign information manipulation and interference.

Sikorski said Russia’s aim is to “weaken the will to resist” by “undermining democratic values” and “fuelling divisions,” according to Notes from Poland. In Poland, he said, this has included efforts to keep society in “a constant state of polarisation.”

Alleged Russian Networks and “Fifth Column” Claims

Sikorski also said there is a “Russian fifth column” in Poland, according to Notes from Poland. The report notes that he did not specify whom he meant.

However, the reports provide examples of Polish investigations and prosecutions involving alleged Russian-linked activity. Notes from Poland say Polish authorities have detained individuals accused of spreading disinformation and carrying out other hybrid activities on behalf of Russia.

The report says that last month Poland charged three Polish citizens with working for Russian intelligence to spread disinformation intended to encourage support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. They were also allegedly involved in surveillance of NATO troops and firearms training in preparation for sabotage.

Disinformation Aimed at Social Fault Lines

The reports describe several areas where Polish authorities say Russia has tried to exploit public anxiety and historical tension.

According to Notes from Poland, the government said in 2024 that Russian-linked social media accounts attempted to cause panic during major floods by exaggerating the death toll and claiming authorities were hiding the truth.

The same report says Polish authorities have accused Russia of trying to stir resentment between Poles and Ukrainians. One cited case involved a teenager arrested on suspicion of working for Russia to vandalize a memorial to Poles massacred by Ukrainians during the Second World War.

These examples fit the pattern Sikorski described: operations aimed at emotional pressure points, not only at factual disputes.

Sabotage and Espionage Concerns

The Polish debate is not limited to online influence. Notes from Poland cites a report by the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism that identified Poland as “the most frequently targeted country” in Europe for Russian-orchestrated sabotage.

The report says Poland’s Internal Security Agency, the ABW, announced that it launched twice as many espionage investigations in 2025 as in 2024. 

Over 2024 and 2025 combined, the number of investigations reportedly exceeded the total across the previous three decades. Those figures point to a sharp increase in counterintelligence pressure.

Domestic Politics and the Far Right

The Polish media article also links Russian influence concerns to Poland’s domestic political environment. It notes that far-right leader Grzegorz Braun, who has called for a “normalisation” of relations with Russia, has seen support for his Confederation of the Polish Crown party rise to around 8 percent.

The same report says one of Braun’s proposed candidates for the next parliamentary elections is on trial for alleged espionage on behalf of Russia.

It also recalls that Braun echoed Kremlin propaganda by claiming that a Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace was faked as part of a conspiracy to pull Poland into the war in Ukraine. Sikorski reportedly called Braun a “Russian lackey” at the time.

Analysis

Sikorski’s “cognitive war” statement is significant because it expands the battlefield. In Poland’s view, Russia is not only trying to spread false claims; it is trying to alter how citizens process information, trust institutions and interpret national interests.

Traditional counter-disinformation work focuses on identifying false narratives. Cognitive warfare requires a broader response: cyber defense, counterintelligence, public communication, media literacy, protection of infrastructure, and resilience against political polarization.

Poland’s vulnerability is partly structural. Its role as a NATO frontline state and a major hub for aid to Ukraine makes it a strategic target for Moscow. Its domestic debates over Ukrainian refugees, historical memory, sovereignty, and relations with the EU also create social fault lines that foreign actors can exploit.

The strongest evidence is Sikorski’s public statement and the pattern of Polish investigations into alleged espionage, sabotage, and influence operations. The weaker areas are the more general claims about a “fifth column” and the precise scale of Russian propaganda spending.

Conclusion

Poland’s warning about Russian “cognitive war” reflects a broader shift in how European states understand hybrid threats. Warsaw is no longer describing Russian activity as isolated disinformation but as a long-term campaign targeting public trust, political cohesion, and national security.

The recent reports show a convergence between diplomatic rhetoric, security concerns, and recent Polish investigations. The core assessment is clear. Poland sees the struggle against Russian influence as a contest over the public mind—and as part of the wider confrontation between Russia and the West after the invasion of Ukraine.