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Poland says it breaks up Russian spy network

March 16, 2023

Polish counterintelligence has crushed a Russian spy ring, Poland's Defense Minister said. The spies had hidden cameras in the southeast of the country, which has become a major hub for arms shipments to Ukraine.

https://p.dw.com/p/4OklI
Poland' Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak
Poland' Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak praised Polish counterintelligence for breaking up the Russian spy ringImage: Hubert Mathis/ZUMA/picture alliance

Poland has broken up an espionage network operating in the country, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Thursday.

The spies had hidden cameras on important railway routes, mainly in the southern Podkarpackie region.

What the minister revealed

"I would like to emphasize the great success achieved by the officers of the Internal Security Agency because the whole spy network has been unraveled," Blaszczak told state broadcaster Polskie Radio 1.

"It was an espionage group, a group of people who were collecting information for those who attacked Ukraine," he added without providing further details.

Blaszczak suggested that the group had entered from neighboring Belarus, a Russian ally that borders NATO member Poland. "The threat was real," Blaszczak said on state radio. 

Suspects prepared sabotage actions

Later on Thursday, Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski said the Internal Security Agency had arrested nine people suspected of spying for Russia in the case. Three were detained on Wednesday.

He said at a news conference in Warsaw that the suspects were preparing "sabotage actions aimed at paralyzing the supply of equipment, weapons and aid to Ukraine."

According to Kaminski, the security agents also seized cameras, electronic equipment and GPS transmitters, which the suspects planned to place on transports carrying aid to Ukraine.

He added the operation against the alleged espionage ring was still ongoing, and that more details would be revealed at a later time.

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Cameras on logistic routes

On Wednesday, private broadcaster RMF reported that Polish security services had detained six people suspected of spying for Russia. According to the report, the people arrested were from countries to the east of Poland and were working for Russian intelligence.

According to RMF, cameras were found close to the Jasionka airport near Rzeszow, which has become a key transfer point for weapons and ammunition being delivered to Ukraine.

RMF reported that security had been stepped up around key railway routes and critical infrastructure as a result of the discovery of the spy network.

dh/rc (AFP, Reuters)