State of the World from NPR Russia’s Hybrid War on Europe
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Feb 5, 2026 
Joanna Kakissis, NPR reporter who covered Kyiv’s winter blackouts and resilience, and Rob Schmitz, NPR international correspondent who investigated a Polish rail sabotage, discuss Russia’s stepped-up hybrid attacks. They describe infrastructure probes, drone disruptions, covert sabotage tactics, and how communities cope and push back in cold, risky conditions.
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Rail Sabotage Near Warsaw Nearly Deadly
- A damaged foot-long section of rail in Poland almost derailed a passenger train and stopped because an engineer spotted it in time.
- Poland's security services say two Ukrainian suspects hired by Russia fled to Belarus after the sabotage.
Attacks Treated As Russian Tests
- Poland views recent attacks as Russian tests to see how far they can push hybrid tactics and measure responses.
- Security services report dozens of daily probes against electric, transport, and digital systems.
Disposable Agents Recruited On Telegram
- Russia now recruits disposable agents via Telegram to perform small operations that escalate into sabotage.
- Agents are paid small amounts, trained to observe routes, commit arson, and produce footage for Russian media.