January 16, 2025 - 12:44 AMT
Polish PM accuses Russia of global terror plans

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has accused Russia of orchestrating “acts of terrorism in the air,” claiming the country plotted incendiary attacks aimed at downing planes worldwide. The Guardian reports.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Tusk referenced efforts by Warsaw to counter what he called “acts of sabotage” by Moscow, including parcel bomb incidents in Poland, the UK, and Germany.

“The latest information can confirm the validity of fears that Russia was planning acts of terrorism in the air not only against Poland,” Tusk said, without elaborating further.

In July, parcels containing incendiary devices caught fire at a DHL warehouse in Birmingham and on the tarmac of Leipzig airport. Reports indicated that the Leipzig parcel was near loading onto a plane, while the Birmingham device had already been in-flight before igniting. Similar incidents occurred in Poland, with intelligence suggesting the parcels were part of a Russian “dry run” for potential attacks in the US.

A New York Times report earlier this week cited senior US officials who had reviewed intercepted conversations among members of Russia’s GRU military intelligence. The discussions allegedly described the parcel bombings as a test for broader operations targeting the US.

The devices, reportedly mailed from Lithuania, were hidden in everyday items, such as a massager, revealing vulnerabilities in security screening processes for parcels. Although officials have since strengthened safety protocols, public reassurances have been limited.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has not responded to requests for comment but has consistently denied involvement in these incidents. Moscow has also dismissed allegations of supporting sabotage activities, including courier depot explosions, break-ins, and attacks on individuals, which Western officials have attributed to Russian operatives.