Not long ago, Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski was a prime target of Russian propaganda and disinformation. Now, it is Sławomir Cenckiewicz, head of the National Security Bureau, who finds himself in the spotlight.
Russian state media have launched a coordinated disinformation campaign following an interview with the head of Poland’s National Security Bureau (BBN), Sławomir Cenckiewicz, published in the Financial Times. His comments about cyber warfare were twisted and turned into headlines suggesting a “new war between Poland and Russia.” Within hours, the manipulated version spread across major Russian news sites and was repeated by politicians and diplomats, including Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In the Financial Times interview, Cenckiewicz explained that Moscow is using a “shadow fleet” to launch drones into European airspace and that cryptocurrencies are being used to fund saboteurs organising attacks within the European Union. He also spoke about cyberattacks targeting Poland’s critical infrastructure and attempts at sabotage.
Cenckiewicz said “In cyberspace, Poland is currently at war with Russia; this is no longer a state of threat.” This remark became a headline in Russian media—but in a distorted form.
On 13 October 2025, the pro-government portal Komsomolskaya Pravda (KP.ru) published an article titled “Глава нацбезопасности Ценцкевич: Польша находится в состоянии войны с РФ” (“Head of National Security Bureau Cenckiewicz: Poland Is at War with the Russian Federation” ).
According to KP.ru, Cenckiewicz had said that “Poland is effectively at war with Russia.” However, the publication deliberately omitted the crucial phrase “in cyberspace,” completely altering the meaning of his statement.
To clarify, in the Financial Times interview, Cenckiewicz said: “If you look at cyberspace, Poland is currently at war—this is no longer a state of threat.” His words referred to cyberattacks, infrastructure sabotage, and disinformation campaigns targeting Poland and other EU countries, not a military conflict.
Other Russian media outlets followed suit with similarly misleading headlines:
URA.RU: „В Польше заявили, что страна находится в состоянии войны” RBC.ru: – „Польша фактически находится в состоянии войны с Россией” zen.ru: Глава Бюро нацбезопасности Ценцкевич: Польша находится в состоянии войны с РФ
5-tv.ruГлава BBN Ценцкевич: сейчас Польша находится в состоянии войны с Россией
kaliningradtv.ru: Польша заявила: страна находится в состоянии войны с Россией — что происходит на грани конфликта
All of these headlines share the same manipulation: they removed “cyberspace” and presented Cenckiewicz’s words as if Poland had declared a real war on Russia.
Interestingly, RIA Novosti, another state-controlled outlet, published a slightly different headline: “Poland declares a state of war with Russia in cyberspace.” Even this version is misleading, as Poland has not declared any “state of war.” Cenckiewicz was describing the reality that Russia is already conducting cyber and information warfare against Poland and other European countries.
Reacting to his comments, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Poland of fuelling “Russophobia.”
“The words of the head of the Polish National Security Bureau, Sławomir Cenckiewicz, about the ongoing war between Russia and EU countries are merely fuelling Russophobia,” she said.
Zakharova also claimed that Poland and other European nations are supporting Ukraine not for security reasons, but to “inflict a strategic defeat on Russia.”
“They are acting against us openly,” she added.
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