Polish authorities are gearing up to press charges against two Ukrainian individuals for an act of terrorism-related sabotage on behalf of Russia following an explosion on a Polish rail line while delivering aid to Ukraine.

The suspects reportedly fled to Belarus immediately after carrying out the alleged attack on the rail line, with authorities claiming they had been in cahoots with Russian secret services prior to the incident.

In addition to the two charged Ukrainians, several others have been detained in connection to the railway explosion. Fortunately, no injuries were reported from the incident, which occurred near the village of Mika in east-central Poland.

Poland’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister have condemned the incident as an unprecedented act of sabotage and state terror, respectively. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has echoed concerns of a potential Russian link to the sabotage and pledged full cooperation with Polish authorities in the investigation.

In response to the attack, Ukraine announced plans to establish a joint task force with Poland to counter Russian sabotage. Polish authorities have also mobilized thousands of soldiers to safeguard critical infrastructure across the country.

Poland’s Foreign Minister has retaliated by ordering the closure of the last remaining Russian consulate in Gdansk, citing the deteriorating relations between the two countries. Moscow has responded by announcing a reduction in Poland’s diplomatic presence in Russia, with Kremlin expressing regret over the situation.

The closure of the Gdansk consulate comes after the shutdown of other Russian consulates in Krakow and Poznan in recent years, while the Russian embassy in Warsaw remains operational. The diplomatic tensions between Poland and Russia have escalated, with both sides taking measures impacting their consular and diplomatic ties.