Polish President Andrzej Duda spoke with a Russian prank caller pretending to be French President Emmanuel Macron just hours after an explosion near the Ukrainian border killed two, the Polish government confirmed Tuesday.
Duda’s office took to Twitter to confirm that someone who impersonated Macron was able to connect with the Polish president and spoke to him for over seven minutes, according to some reports.
POLISH PRESIDENT SAYS ‘NO PROOF’ MISSILE THAT LANDED IN NATO TERRITORY WAS FIRED BY RUSSIA
“After the rocket explosion in Przewodów, during ongoing calls with heads of state and government, a person claiming to be French President Emmanuel Macron was connected,” Duda’s office said. “On call President Duda realized from the unusual way of conducting the conversation by the interlocutor that there might have been an attempt at fraud and ended the conversation.
“After this merger, the KPRP immediately undertook explanatory actions in cooperation with the relevant services,” the president’s office added in reference to Duda’s political party.
According to a Reuters report, Russian comedians Vovan and Lexus posted the seven-and-a-half-minute call with Duda where someone could be heard attempting to put on a false French accent while engaging with the president.
It is unclear if either comedian was responsible for the call.
“Emanuel, believe me, I am extra careful,” Duda could be heard telling the caller. “I don’t want to have war with Russia and believe me, I am extra careful, extra careful.”
The prank call is reportedly the second time a prankster was able to successfully get through to Duda and came as world leaders were scrambling to uncover where the missile that killed two came from.
Reports initially suggested that the missile was believed to have been levied by Russian forces amid its war in Ukraine – a reality that could have had substantial implications regarding NATO’s involvement.
NATO officials later said a preliminary investigation showed the “explosion” that occurred just over Poland’s border likely came from Kyiv’s defense systems.
Duda’s office is reportedly investigating how a prankster was once again able to get through to the president after Vovan and Lexus impersonated U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres while on a call with the Polish leader in 2020.
Duda is not the only top official to be targeted by the Russian comedians in recent years as Macron, and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, among others, have also fallen victim to the pranksters.