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Tusk announces arrest of nine suspects for Russian-linked sabotage

21.05.2024 09:00
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that nine individuals have been arrested and charged with involvement in acts of sabotage in Poland on behalf of Russian services.
Polish PM Donald Tusk.
Polish PM Donald Tusk.Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański

Speaking in an interview with private broadcaster TVN24, Tusk emphasized the importance of regaining full control over activities within Polish territory, a control he noted had previously been lacking.

Tusk described the situation as highly serious and noted that it affects several European countries, including Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland, with similar concerns emerging from Sweden. "We have nine suspects under arrest at the moment, with charges against them for directly engaging in acts of sabotage in Poland on behalf of Russian services. This includes beatings, arson, and attempted arson," Tusk stated.

When asked if these suspects were publicly known figures, Tusk clarified that they were not. "We are talking about hired individuals, often from the criminal world, including Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Polish citizens," he added.

Tusk recounted a specific incident in Wrocław, where an attempt to set fire to a paint plant was thwarted. This act, he explained, was indisputably directed by Russian services. He also mentioned similar acts of sabotage in Lithuania, such as the arson of an Ikea warehouse, and suggested that the detained individuals might be connected to these incidents, primarily involving arson on Polish territory.

(jh)

Source: PAP