Russia's Intelligence Chief Says Poland Is Worried About Expansion Plans Into Western Ukraine Leaks

Kepala Intelijen Rusia Sergey Naryshkin. (Wikimedia Commons/Administration of the President of Russia)

JAKARTA - Poland is trying to hide its expansion into Western Ukraine and is nervously leaking its plans to split Ukraine, the director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin said on Tuesday.

"Information coming into the Service demonstrates the nervous reaction of the Polish leadership to the fact that its plans to divide Ukraine have emerged in the public eye," the press bureau of the Service quoted him as saying.

In what he said, Warsaw clearly hoped that in the midst of a difficult geopolitical stalemate, neither Kiev nor Washington would pay attention to its preparations for seizing Ukrainian territory.

"Poland hopes that when the conflict in Ukraine reaches a diplomatic settlement phase, both sides should recognize the 'Polish expansion' as an accomplished fact," Naryshkin said.

"Now, after the leak of plausible information, the Polish leadership must calm the concerns of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and the 'Friends' of the European Union," he continued.

Now, Warsaw hopes to improve the situation through extensive propaganda. State-controlled think tanks and media outlets have been instructed to carry out media campaigns to disguise Poland's actions to strengthen its position in Ukraine and refute "rumors".

According to information from the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, it is planned to focus on creating an image of 'collective participation' of all Ukrainian neighbors in Kyiv affairs.

To this end, Warsaw plans to cooperate more closely on the Ukraine issue with Hungary and Romania, to hide behind them in order to carry out its plans.

"Warsaw does not seem to see that its "secret" ambitions and complexities have been a source of ridicule and irritation to its 'customers' for years. The Foreign Intelligence Service's declassified document gives the articulation characteristics that British Secretary of State John Simon gave in 1935, which said the Polish Government's childish prestige policies hinder peace-building in Europe and are incompatible with its political, financial or military position," the press bureau added.