Poland will add TVN and Polsat TV channels to the list of strategic objects to prevent them from being bought by Russia

The Russian Federation is conducting aggressive cyber operations against the West, interfering in the politics of individual countries, and the Polish government will add large private TV channel groups TVN and Polsat to the list of strategic assets to prevent them from being bought by Russia.

This was stated by the head of the Polish government Donald Tusk at a joint press conference with Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal in Warsaw, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Tusk stressed that Russia is demonstrating constant readiness to attack Western countries with increasingly sophisticated means, the Kremlin's operations are aimed at interfering in the political life of European countries, in particular in Romania.

In this regard, he mentioned the Russian cyber operation Portal Combat, the primary targets of which were Poland, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Spain, and later 14 more countries, including Romania.

«We spoke today (with the Prime Minister of Estonia – ed.) and agreed that we will strengthen cooperation in the field of cybersecurity. The Baltic defense line and the Polish «Shield East» will be complemented by our active actions to protect cyberspace», – Tusk emphasized.

He noted that in addition to Portal Combat, Russia is implementing other «complex and very aggressive» options for interfering in the internal life of European countries, in particular in the cyber and energy spheres. According to him, steps were discussed with his Estonian colleague regarding the implementation of the initiative for a joint patrol mission in the Baltic Sea.

According to Tusk, Poland will counteract attempts to influence from outside or to take over Polish media. Therefore, he intends to sign a government order next week to include TVN and Polsat television channels in the list of strategic companies that require state protection.

«I want to confirm… that we see those interested in the East in the potential takeover or influence on the work of the media in Poland, also in the context of the operation I mentioned, Portal Combat. This is very serious», – the head of the Polish government emphasized.

Information has recently been appearing in the Polish public space that the two largest private TV channel groups – TVN and Polsat – may soon change owners.