Russia Wages 'Full-Scale Cognitive War' Against Poland, FM Says
Addressing a conference in Warsaw, Radoslaw Sikorski called on his country to fundamentally reframe how it understands Russian interference operations.
"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," he said.
The gathering brought together senior government figures, including Intelligence and Security Services Coordinator Tomasz Siemoniak, and centered on mounting concerns over hybrid threats, cyberattacks, foreign influence operations, and coordinated efforts to erode public confidence in democratic institutions.
The term "cognitive warfare" has gained increasing currency among NATO planners and security analysts, broadly describing efforts to reshape perceptions, behaviors, and decision-making within target societies through an interlocking mix of disinformation, psychological operations, cyber intrusions, and social media manipulation.
Poland has emerged as one of Europe's most assertive voices in pushing for stronger collective action against Russian hybrid activities — a posture that has hardened considerably since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In recent months, Polish authorities have logged a series of alleged Russian-linked incidents, ranging from cyberattacks on public institutions and suspected electoral interference to acts of sabotage directed at infrastructure and logistics networks tied to Western military support for Kyiv. The government has since announced a package of measures aimed at bolstering cybersecurity defenses and societal resilience against foreign influence campaigns.
Warsaw has long accused Moscow of seeking to destabilize Poland through a layered strategy combining online influence operations, sabotage, and deliberate exploitation of political and social fault lines — concerns amplified by Poland's role as a frontline NATO state and a critical conduit for Western military and humanitarian aid flowing into Ukraine.
Sikorski's remarks signal that Warsaw now views the contest against Russian influence not as a narrow communications problem, but as a protracted struggle over democratic resilience, public perception, and long-term national security.
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