Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Tuesday that security services have detained 32 individuals since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on suspicion of working with Russian intelligence. The group is accused of planning and carrying out sabotage and arson attacks against Polish infrastructure in a concerted effort to sow chaos and destabilize the country. Tusk emphasized his government’s resolve, stating, “Anyone who destabilizes the Polish state or attempts to destabilize the situation on the borders is directly or indirectly aiding Russian services, and therefore we will act ruthlessly.”
The arrested suspects reportedly include Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, and even Colombian nationals, highlighting the international scope of the alleged recruitment effort. According to Polish authorities, these individuals were recruited to execute attacks intended to undermine public safety and confidence in the state. While one person has already been convicted for their role, the others remain in custody as their trials proceed, underscoring the effectiveness of Poland’s counter-sabotage operations.
A prominent example of this campaign involves a 27-year-old Colombian man arrested for setting fires at two construction supply depots in Warsaw and Radom in May 2024. Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) stated the attacks were ordered by Russian intelligence. After carrying out the arson, the suspect traveled to the Czech Republic, where he was apprehended for setting a bus depot on fire and planning another attack on a shopping mall. He pleaded guilty in a Czech court and was sentenced in June to eight years in prison.
Authorities believe this case is part of a larger Russian strategy to use the Telegram messaging app to recruit individuals, particularly those of Latin American origin, for covert operations. These recruits were allegedly tasked with scouting targets, committing acts of arson, and filming the aftermath. The resulting footage was then intended for use in Russian state-backed disinformation campaigns designed to amplify the impact of the attacks and spread false narratives.
These recent detentions occur within a broader context of what Polish officials describe as sustained Russian hybrid warfare. This multifaceted aggression includes espionage, disinformation, and direct sabotage. Earlier this year, Warsaw shut down the Russian consulate in Kraków after linking its intelligence activities to a major fire in the capital. The government continues to investigate other potential acts of sabotage, including a recent, brief outage in the nation’s air traffic control system, demonstrating Poland’s heightened state of alert against ongoing threats from Moscow.
Reference:
