Two Belarusians and a Pole were detained in Poland on suspicion of preparing sabotage on the instructions of Russian intelligence. This was reported by the National Prosecutor’s Office of Poland.
Polish media reported that the Internal Security Agency detained a Polish citizen and two Belarusian citizens as part of an investigation into activities linked to foreign intelligence services.
They were charged with participation in an organized international criminal group, cooperation with Russian special services, and sabotage and subversion in Poland for a fee.
The sanctions under these articles extend till life imprisonment. The suspects were taken into custody.
According to the Rzeczpospolita newspaper, the detainees are accused of collaborating with Russian military intelligence. They tried to arsonize shopping centers, restaurants and construction warehouses in Gdansk and Gdynia.
The men were said to be acting on orders from Russia’s intelligence agency GRU and are linked to a Ukrainian detained by the Internal Security Agency in late January who planned to set fire to a paint factory in Wroclaw, according to Rzeczpospolita. He was also preparing to commit sabotage on the orders of Russian special services.
The attempt to set fire to a shopping center in Wroclaw and a construction market near a gas station failed. The RP’s information indicated that the Ukrainian had come to Poland from Germany and was part of a larger subversion group. The three men currently detained were also involved.
U.S. intelligence officials and their allies are tracking an increase in sabotage operations in Europe, which are likely part of a Russian campaign to undermine military aid to Ukraine.
The NYT reported that among such sabotage operations were arson attacks on a warehouse in England, a paint factory in Poland, residential buildings in Latvia, and an Ikea store in Lithuania.
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