Two men have been arrested in Poland for hacking into the national railway's communications network, causing disruptions to traffic in certain areas of the country over the weekend. The suspects, both Polish citizens aged 24 and 29, were apprehended in the city of Bialystok, where police also seized radio equipment from their apartment. The attack initially occurred on Friday night near the city of Szczecin, resulting in the halting or delays of around 20 trains. While traffic resumed a few hours later, further attacks took place over the weekend in other parts of the country, but did not cause significant problems.

In Poland, hackers stopped trains and made them listen to the Russian national anthem.

Last night in Poland, hackers interfered with the radio frequencies that coordinate the work of the Polish railways. They stopped the movement of more than 20 trains, writes the Viborcza… pic.twitter.com/p2WuuU3UMJ

— Sprinter (@Sprinter99800) August 26, 2023

Reports suggested that the manipulated signals included renditions of the Russian national anthem and a speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The incident comes at a time of heightened tensions between Poland and Russia, with Poland being a staunch ally of Ukraine and playing a crucial role in the transit of Western arms to the country. The Polish internal security agency is presently investigating the hacking incident, with suspicions that it may be part of an ongoing attempt by the Russian Federation and Belarus to destabilize the Polish state.

Stanislaw Zaryn, deputy coordinator of special services, stated that there have been recurring attempts over several months to undermine Poland's security. However, it is currently unclear whether these attempts are linked to recent accidents on Polish railways, including two derailments, which occurred during the same week. The authorities have stated that there is no evidence at present to suggest a connection between the hacking and these incidents.

Despite the disruptions caused by the hacking, there were no risks to the health or lives of passengers. The Polish railway system quickly resolved the issues and restored regular traffic. The focus now shifts to further investigations into the motives and individuals involved in the attack, as well as enhancing the security protocols to prevent future incidents.