Kremlin hits back at Poland over ‘air terror’ plot claims
The Kremlin has dismissed allegations by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk that Russian security agencies are plotting “acts of air terror,” describing the claims as baseless.
Tusk made the claims during a joint press conference with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky in Warsaw on Wednesday. “I can only confirm the validity of fears that Russia was planning acts of air terror, not only against Poland, but against airlines around the world,” he claimed.
Poland is “well-known for making such unsubstantiated accusations” and “often tries to maintain a lead position in that regard compared to other European nations,” Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Thursday.
Tusk's remark appeared to reference incidents involving the attempted sabotage of cargo planes, which occurred last year at DHL sorting facilities in Leipzig, Germany and Birmingham, UK. Media reports and officials have suggested that Western investigators view Russian intelligence services as primary suspects in those cases.
Moscow has denied any involvement in the incidents. Last November, the Russian Foreign Ministry cautioned that Western allegations may indicate an upcoming “anti-Russian provocation” involving a false-flag operation orchestrated by “the US and its satellites”.
The warning was issued as part of a formal rebuke of Canada, after the country’s government expressed concern over “Russia’s intensifying campaign, from cyber incidents and disinformation operations to sabotage activities” in connection with the investigation into the incidents in Europe.
