Six arrested in Poland over alleged spying for Russia; four face charge in supplying military components case

Six people detained in case

Polish authorities announced the arrests on Thursday. The suspects are five Polish citizens aged 25 to 52 and a 37-year-old Russian woman, intelligence coordinator Tomasz Siemoniak said. Poland’s Internal Security Agency said four people, including the Russian woman, were charged with espionage and held in pretrial detention for three months. The remaining two face restrictions that do not involve detention.

All six are also accused of breaching rules on international trade in goods and technologies considered important to national defense and international security. These allegations concern the alleged movement of military components to Russia.

Embargo and alleged shipments

Investigators say the group supplied Moscow with substantial quantities of parts used in making ammunition and weapons systems. They allege the shipments violated an embargo. Siemoniak told reporters that Russia faces a strict embargo on these goods and said the operation aimed to get around it. The authorities have not provided further details about the alleged shipments in the account of the case.

Wider security concerns

Warsaw has repeatedly accused Russia of sabotage since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Poland had prevented a possible provocation near its border with Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave.

The Russian Embassy had not immediately responded to a request for comment. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied carrying out sabotage in NATO countries.