Canadian national jailed in Poland for spying for Russia

In Poland, the Warsaw District Court sentenced an 18-year-old Canadian citizen, Laken P., to 8 months in prison for spying for the Russian Federation. The press service of the National Prosecutor’s Office of Poland reported this.

On December 20, 2024, the court handed down the verdict. The Canadian citizen was charged with participating in Russian intelligence activities against the Republic of Poland.

According to the prosecutor’s office, after being recruited in Russian-occupied Donetsk and receiving intelligence tasks and briefings through covert communication channels, he was to provide Russian intelligence services with information about the military potential of the Republic of Poland, as well as about people serving in the Polish army.

During the investigation, it was established that Laken P. was recruited to cooperate by an agent of the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB) and in May 2024 he came to Poland via Denmark to carry out activities ordered by Russians. Laken P. maintained contact with the person in charge via Telegram, and received payment for the tasks performed in cryptocurrencies.

Laken P. was accused of taking part in the activities of Russian intelligence against the Republic of Poland, in that after being recruited in Donetsk and receiving intelligence tasks and instruction on camouflaged communication channels, he was to provide information to Russian special services about the military potential of the Republic of Poland, as well as persons serving in the Polish Army (Article 130 § 1 of the Penal Code).

The charges cover the period from April 2024 to May 23, 2024.

The court sentenced the defendant to eight months in prison and confiscated material evidence in the form of a mobile phone and 3 SIM cards. He also has to pay court costs.

Mr. Laken pleaded guilty to the crime and provided explanations in which he described the circumstances of establishing cooperation with the Russian side, its course, and the tasks set. The verdict is final and not subject to appeal.

In December, a Polish court found 21-year-old Russian hockey player Maxim S. guilty of espionage as part of an operation to expose a large-scale Russian spy network.

The hockey player was part of a Russian spy cell in Poland, which also included 13 Ukrainians and two Belarusians. They were all exposed and detained in 2023.

It is not known what prompted the Canadian to spy for Russia. Perhaps Russian propaganda influenced him. We recently published an investigation into pro-Russian propaganda in Canada.