Russian hack leads to false news agency story about Polish mobilization

On May 31, 2024, the Polish government reported that the Polish Press Agency was hit by a cyberattack most likely perpetrated by a Kremlin-affiliated actor. The cyberattack resulted in the publication of a fake article on the Polish Press Agency’s website, announcing that Prime Minister Donald Tusk was calling for the mobilization of 200,000 Poles, “both ex-military and regular civilians”, to join the fight in Ukraine by July 1. The article was removed 8 minutes later, before being released and removed a second time. The attack took place ahead of a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Prague to discuss the long-term war effort in support of Ukraine, and Polish officials linked it to a wider attempt to influence voters heading into the 2024 European Parliament elections.

About This Incident

Incident Metadata

Date: 31 May 2024
Country: Poland
Source: Source Source 2