Moment Russian TV host jokes about ‘wiping out’ EU country in ’10 minutes’ | World | News
In a chilling display of rhetoric, Russian state TV guests openly discussed the potential annihilation of Poland using nuclear weapons. The discussion took place on Russia 1, a state-backed broadcaster, just days before the European Parliament elections.
Konstantin Sivkov, a Russian military expert and retired naval officer, made alarming comments during a panel discussion. He claimed that in just “10 to 15 minutes, both the state of Poland and the Polish people disappear.”
Sivkov added: “Let’s look at Poland. This is the most realistic candidate which could become a small theatre of nuclear war. Are there 20 big cities there? I don’t think so. If we allocate two nuclear missiles to each city, that’s only 30-40 missiles.
“This is just a salvo from one Iskander division. In 10 to 15 minutes, both the state of Poland and the Polish people disappear. The Polish language will also disappear. Europeans must understand this. I urge Europeans to think about what they are doing.”
These comments come at a tense time, as Poland, a NATO member since 1999, is ramping up its cybersecurity measures. The country plans to spend nearly £600 million on cybersecurity after its state news agency PAP was hit by what authorities suspect was a Russian cyberattack.
With European Parliament elections scheduled for Sunday, Polish authorities are on high alert for potential interference from Moscow. Fears were heightened on Friday when a false article about military mobilisation appeared on PAP.
Warsaw has accused Moscow of attempting to destabilise Poland due to its significant role in supplying military aid to Ukraine—allegations that Russia has consistently dismissed.
“We want to allocate over 3 billion zlotys for a ‘Cyber Shield,'” digitalisation minister Krzysztof Gawkowski announced at a news conference.
“Today, Poland is on the frontline of the cyber fight against Russia. Poland has the most attacks.” He added that Poland had blocked several cyberattacks on critical infrastructure over the past weekend.
Gawkowski said: “The Russian Federation has one goal – to destabilize the situation and ensure that the forces supporting the breakup of the EU can benefit.”
Russia‘s embassy in Warsaw denied knowledge of the attack on PAP and dismissed accusations of attempts to destabilise Poland. However, Poland has also linked Russia to incidents of sabotage and arson on its soil. The country alleges that Russian secret services are actively seeking information on weapons deliveries to Ukraine following Russia‘s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
In response to these threats, Poland has announced the re-establishment of a commission to investigate Russian influence.
