Poland accuses Russia of recruiting Polish citizens online for election meddling

Russia is attempting to recruit Polish citizens via the darknetto conduct influence operations ahead of Poland’s presidential election, a senior Polish official said.

Russian intelligence agencies, including the GRU and FSB, have reportedly posted job offers on hidden parts of the internet offering payments between $3,130 and $4,170 to individuals willing to spread disinformation online, Poland’s digital affairs minister, Krzysztof Gawkowski, said in an interview on Tuesday.

He warned that anyone caught collaborating with Russian intelligence would face prosecution and punishment. “This would be treason, a crime, and espionage in Poland,” Gawkowski said.

🛡️ Walka z dezinformacją i bezpieczne wybory to dzisiaj dla rządu cel numer jeden!

💬 Wicepremier, Minister Cyfryzacji @KGawkowski pic.twitter.com/nPCcmANGKM

— Lewica (@__Lewica) January 29, 2025

Poland will hold a presidential election in May. The country has previously warned about suspected Moscow-linked campaigns likely aimed at meddling in the elections.

According to Gawkowski, Polish officials have been monitoring Russian influence operations for months, noting that the malicious activity began during the 2024 local and European Parliament elections and is now intensifying.

Earlier in January, Poland said it uncovered a Russia-linked disinformation campaign that recruits individuals “from various backgrounds” with the goal of "spreading disinformation” and “destroying the coherence” of the country’s political scene. Gawkowski did not provide further details about the alleged group.

Poland is constantly working to secure its electoral systems from potential threats, including cyberattacks targeting the electoral commission’s infrastructure and disinformation campaigns, according to the minister. The country will also launch an election protection program later in February.

“The fight against disinformation and safe elections are the number one goal for the government today, because conducting safe elections is of fundamental importance for the state system," Gawkowski said.

Poland is an attractive target for pro-Russian hackers because of its military aid to Ukraine and its role as a host for Ukrainian refugees.

“Poland is currently the most attacked country in the European Union when it comes to cyberspace incidents,” Gawkowski said during a parliamentary meeting earlier in January. “Russia no longer hides the fact that Poland is its main target.”

Russia has previously been accused of interfering in election infrastructure across Eastern Europe. For example, in December, Romania’s constitutional court annulled the first round of its presidential election after declassified intelligence revealed that Russian interference had influenced the results.

Earlier in January, German investigative outlet Correctiv identified a network of Russia-linked websites that were spreading false stories in a likely attempt to sway Germany's national election in February.

In a resolution adopted earlier this month, the European Parliament said that the EU must step up its fight against Russian disinformation and expand its sanctions against Russian media outlets conducting disinformation campaigns.

This, they say, is essential to protect the integrity of democratic processes and strengthen the resilience of European societies.

Russia has consistently denied involvement in disinformation campaigns against the West.