Poland arrests nine in Russian spy ring over sabotage plots

(Patria) - Poland has arrested nine members of a Russian spy ring in connection with alleged sabotage plots, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Monday, AFP reported.

"Currently, we have nine suspects arrested and charged, who were directly involved on behalf of Russian (intelligence) services in acts of sabotage in Poland," Tusk said.

"These are citizens of Ukraine, Belarus, and Poland," suggesting that some may have been recruited from criminal circles.

The detainees are accused of "beatings, arson, and attempted arson," Tusk said, adding that Russian plots do not concern only Poland, but also Lithuania, Latvia, and possibly Sweden. An international investigation is underway, he said.

Among the examples Tusk cited was an attempted arson of a paint factory in Wroclaw, in
western Poland, as well as an Ikea center in Lithuania. He said a public information campaign on the matter would follow in the coming days.

Earlier this month, Tusk announced the strengthening of Polish intelligence services following
Moscow's destabilizing activities, saying that Poland would allocate an additional $25 million
to civilian and military services to combat espionage. He also indicated that Warsaw had prevented several acts of sabotage, "thanks to the vigilance of our services and our allies".

In recent weeks, Warsaw has announced the arrest of a man suspected of helping Russian intelligence services prepare a possible attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as a Belarusian suspected of sponsoring the March attack on Leonid Volkov, a close friend and ally of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Vilnius. Warsaw also arrested two Poles responsible for that attack.

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, Warsaw has been an unconditional supporter of its
neighbor and a major transit country for Western arms shipments.