Magdalena Wilczyńska, head of information space protection at NASK, a state research institute specializing in cybersecurity, said Russian operations could make extensive use of artificial intelligence, fake social media accounts and impersonation.
Asked what Poland should prepare for, Wilczyńska said: "Everything you can imagine, and more."
Possible methods include using chatbots to distribute false information and deploying artificial intelligence-generated influencers, she said.
One of her main concerns is a proliferation of accounts impersonating candidates. More than 6,000 people could stand in the election, making fake profiles difficult to identify and monitor quickly.
"I fear a flood of fake candidate accounts," Wilczyńska said.
NASK plans to train election committees in online security and create dedicated channels through which they can report impersonation.
The election is expected in autumn 2027, although no date has yet been set and the formal campaign has not begun.
Russian interference in elections elsewhere has included fabricated news sites, covert financing, cyberattacks, fake social media profiles and manipulated video.
Romania annulled the first round of its 2024 presidential election after intelligence reports described a large-scale online campaign supporting nationalist candidate Călin Georgescu and raised concerns about foreign interference and undeclared campaign activity.
Russia denied involvement. The rerun in May 2025 was won by pro-European candidate Nicușor Dan.
Moldova has also faced Russian-linked attempts to influence elections.
Prime Minister Dorin Recean said Russian agents spent around EUR 200 million in an effort to influence the country’s 2024 presidential election and referendum on European Union membership through a network associated with fugitive oligarch Ilan Șor.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) later said Moldova's September 2025 parliamentary election was affected by foreign interference, illicit financing, cyberattacks and widespread disinformation.
The governing pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity retained its parliamentary majority.
US intelligence agencies also documented Russian operations during the 2024 presidential election.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence described Russia as the most active foreign influence threat and said Russian-linked actors manufactured videos and fake articles intended to undermine confidence in the election and deepen political divisions.
Polish analysts say current Russian information operations are already exploiting tensions between Poles and Ukrainians.
In an August analysis, the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM) said Russian propaganda was amplifying anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Poland and anti-Polish sentiment in Ukraine.
Analysts Filip Bryjka and Aleksandra Wójtowicz said such activity was likely to intensify before Poland’s 2027 election and could be accompanied by provocations, sabotage and politically motivated violence.
Wilczyńska said NASK is studying election interference abroad to identify methods that could be transferred to Poland.
The institute is also developing better tools to track how disinformation spreads, rather than concentrating solely on individual false claims. Its preparations for 2027 will include training political committees and establishing rapid reporting channels for fake candidate accounts.
Russia’s election interference is part of a wider campaign of aggression against European and other democratic states.
NATO and the European Union have accused Moscow of conducting coordinated hybrid operations including sabotage, cyberattacks, disruption of critical infrastructure, electronic interference, disinformation, covert political influence, assassinations and attempts to manipulate elections.
Such operations have intensified since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and have targeted EU and NATO countries as well as their partners.
NATO describes Russia as the most significant direct threat to Allied security, while the EU says the Kremlin’s campaigns are intended to weaken democratic institutions, public trust and support for Ukraine.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP