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Polish authorities dismantle Russian sabotage network

19.08.2023 09:00
Polish counterintelligence has exposed a web of alleged spies linked to Russia's GRU military intelligence agency, comprising Russians, Belarusians, and pro-Russian Ukrainians operating in Poland, according to a Washington Post report.
Deputy minister Coordinator for Special Services, Stanisław Żaryn.
Deputy minister Coordinator for Special Services, Stanisław Żaryn.Photo: Paweł Supernak/PAP ARCHIWUM

This network aimed to disrupt weapons shipments to Ukraine, with tactics such as sabotaging the rail infrastructure, the report suggests.

Deputy Minister Coordinator for Special Services, Stanisław Żaryn, while speaking to the Polish Press Agency PAP, confirmed the authenticity of the case presented by the Washington Post. Żaryn emphasized that the Internal Security Agency had initiated a series of detentions related to this issue as early as March.

"The suspects in this case were presented with formal charges, and subsequently, based on court orders, were taken into pre-trial custody," Żaryn explained.

He also further noted the broader implications of this finding. "This espionage ring reveals Russia's intentions not just to gather intelligence on Poland's operations and its routes to supply Ukraine, but also to execute propaganda campaigns and premeditated sabotage acts targeting our rail systems," Żaryn said.

He underscored the gravity of the situation, stressing that this discovery indicates the lengths to which Russian intelligence might go in its efforts to destabilize Poland through asymmetric strategies.

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Source: PAP