Polish prosecutors have charged five foreign nationals with working for an unidentified intelligence service, as Warsaw steps up efforts to counter suspected Russian sabotage. The National Prosecutor’s Office said on Friday that two Ukrainians and three Belarusians were detained this week in Warsaw and Białystok. Three are being held in provisional custody.
Investigators say the group gathered photographic material on critical infrastructure and other sensitive sites, receiving payments in cryptocurrency. According to the Internal Security Agency (ABW), the suspects were recruited via the Telegram messaging app and carried out low-level tasks, including posting flyers and painting graffiti, while signalling willingness to undertake further operations.
Poland has arrested 55 people on suspicion of acting for Russia since the start of the Ukraine war. The latest case follows two incidents on the rail network in November that Prime Minister Donald Tusk labelled “state terrorism” linked to the Kremlin, including an attempted derailment and an explosive device on a line supplying aid to Ukraine.
