Puławy: interference with a fuel train’s brakes

What happened

On the afternoon of 16 February 2026, at the railway station in Puławy, a 25-year-old Moldovan citizen applied the emergency brakes on three wagons of a train made up of a locomotive and 37 tank cars of diesel fuel travelling from Szczecin to Dorohusk, for Ukraine; according to police the engaged brakes could have caused a derailment. He was detained on the spot by a police officer, a railway guard and a Territorial Defence soldier from an Operation "Tor" patrol while standing on the platform between wagons; he carried a bag with phones, electronic equipment, SIM cards and documents in Russian, and had entered Poland from Belarus via Terespol the day before. On 18 February the Lublin Regional Prosecutor's Office charged him with creating a direct danger of an explosion of flammable materials threatening the lives of many people and property on a large scale (up to 10 years), a court remanded him for three months and the Internal Security Agency took over the investigation. There was no derailment and no damage; the train was checked and no dangerous materials were found. The prosecution's spokesman said the question of whether anyone inspired the suspect would be examined; nobody has named a principal.

The word "Russian" in this description comes from the source's account of where the object was made or what type it is. It is not a finding about who sent it or on whose orders. This record carries no assessment of responsibility: see the attribution band below.

Responsibility and limits of the evidence

not assessed

Nobody has yet assessed responsibility for this record. Not assessed is not the same as not established.

Impact

killed

not established

injured

not established

damage

none

No casualties reported.

Source discrepancy

The Malcontent placemark gives 17 February 2026 (the day of the first reports). Police and prosecution place the detention on Monday 16 February before 4pm. 16 February is recorded.

Sources

1. 37 wagonów z ropą, groźba wykolejenia. Nowe informacje ws. zatrzymanego Mołdawianina

   RMF24 (za Komendantem Głównym Policji) / 2026-02-17 / secondary source

   supports: the record, the date

2. Próba sabotażu na torach. Obywatel Mołdawii zatrzymany. Są zarzuty

   Interia (za rzecznikiem Prokuratury Okręgowej w Lublinie) / 2026-02-18 / secondary source

   supports: the record, that it happened, the location

3. Zarzuty i areszt dla obywatela Mołdawii. Czy Anton B. próbował wykoleić pociąg z olejem napędowym w Puławach?

   pulawy.24wspolnota.pl (za rzecznikiem Prokuratury Okręgowej w Lublinie) / 2026-02-18 / secondary source

   supports: the record, that it happened, the date, the attribution

4. ABW przejmuje śledztwo ws. Mołdawianina. Nowe informacje RMF FM

   RMF24 / PAP (za policją i prokuraturą) / 2026-02-20 / secondary source

   supports: the record, the impact