Russia would be financing sabotage with cryptos in the midst of “hybrid war” against the EU
By Hannah Perez
A Polish official denounced that Russia is turning to cryptocurrencies to finance sabotage actions against several countries in the bloc within the framework of what the European Union has described as a “hybrid war.”
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- Polish official claims that Russia uses cryptocurrencies to finance sabotage.
- The attacks include drone invasion, cyberattacks and sabotage of critical infrastructure.
- The revelations arise within the framework of what the EU has described as a “hybrid war.”
- “Russia is playing with war,” said European diplomat Kaja Kallas.
🚨 Russia uses cryptocurrencies to finance sabotage in Europe 🚨
A senior Polish official claims Moscow is using crypto assets to evade sanctions and finance attacks.
Recent cyberattacks include hacks of water systems and drones in airspace… pic.twitter.com/xkwZP0VgSb
— Diario฿itcoin (@DiarioBitcoin) October 14, 2025
A senior Polish official has denounced that Russia is using cryptocurrencies to finance sabotage tactics in Europe, as part of a hybrid war strategy aimed at destabilizing the European Union (EU).
Sławomir Cenckiewicz, head of the Polish National Security Office, revealed in an interview with Financial Times that Moscow is resorting to these digital assets to evade tracking by Western intelligence services and finance attacks that include drone raids, cyberattacks and sabotage of critical infrastructure.
According to Cenckiewicz, a network of agents recruited by Russian military intelligence (GRU) dismantled in Poland in 2023 was largely funded with cryptocurrencies. “Polish intelligence services are very interested in this legislative process, to ensure that there are no loopholes that allow foreign powers to use [cripto] to finance their agents“said the official, who believes that Russia continues to use this method for current operations.
This complaint occurs in a context of escalating tensions, where Poland has closed two Russian consulates and expelled diplomats accused of facilitating these networks, with Moscow recruiting local “ad hoc” agents with small, low-risk payments.
Sabotage actions against Poland
Examples cited by Cenckiewicz include a recent attempt to hack water supplies in a large Polish city, considered an act of cyber warfare, according to the publication.
“When we look at the cyber domain, Poland is now in a state of war [con Rusia]it is not a threat state anymore“, declared the official. In addition, cases are being investigated such as that of a Ukrainian citizen suspected of smuggling explosives hidden in cans of food labeled as corn, possibly to be used in bombs dropped by drones, and a coal car uncoupled on a railway line in Katowice, described as a ““Russian fun.”
As for air raids, at least 19 Russian drones violated Polish airspace last month, prompting NATO aircraft to shoot down some in the first direct confrontation since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. These drones, launched from the “shadow fleet” of old Russian tankers previously used for oil smuggling, have caused airport closures in Denmark, Germany and other countries.
“They confirm that the shadow fleet of old Russian tankers that used to smuggle oil is being used by Russia to [reconocimiento con drones]“Cenckiewicz confirmed, based on intelligence shared with allied nations.
Russia turns to crypto in response to sanctions
Russia has been turning to cryptocurrencies to circumvent Western economic sanctions, especially following its exclusion from the global banking payments system, Swift, in 2022, as various reports have noted.
Poland responded by recently passing a law in its lower house to strictly regulate the cryptocurrency market, with prison sentences for non-compliance, with the aim of closing these financing avenues, the aforementioned media recalled.
Furthermore, the EU is considering new sanctions against stablecoins backed by the ruble, such as A7A5, issued by sanctioned entities such as the Russian state bank Promsvyazbankto prohibit interactions with them in the block.
EU accuses Russia of leading a “hybrid war”
The Polish official’s revelations to Financial Times They come at a time when the EU formally accuses Russia of carrying out a “hybrid war” against the block, after a wave of airspace violations by Russian military drones and aircraft.
The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, described these actions on Monday as “play with war“, warning that each incursion represents a risk of escalation, intentional or not. These incidents have affected countries such as Estonia, Poland and Denmark, prompting responses such as the shooting down of drones and the reinforcement of NATO air defenses.
Hybrid warfare, as detailed CNBCcombines conventional military methods with subversive tactics such as cyberattacks, sabotage and disinformation campaigns, designed to operate in a “gray zone” and weaken adversaries without declaring open war.
Since 2014, hundreds of suspicious incidents attributed to Russia have been recorded, with a significant increase since 2022, focused on nations that support Ukraine, such as the Baltic States, Finland and Germany. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has urged to recognize these acts as a concerted campaign and to strengthen security, including an increase in defense spending to 5% of GDP in NATO members and projects such as a “drone wall”” on the eastern border.
Cenckiewicz, an ally of right-wing Polish President Karol Nawrocki, emphasized the need for a strong, pro-American NATO to counter these threats, criticizing more pro-European stances that could weaken the Atlantic alliance. Russia, meanwhile, denies the allegations, but the escalation underlines rising tensions in Eastern Europe.
Article written with the help of AI, edited by DailyBitcoin
Image from Unsplash
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