Eng
Esp

Copyright © 2024 Euromaidanpress.com

The work of Euromaidan Press is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation

When referencing our materials, please include an active hyperlink to the Euromaidan Press material and a maximum 500-character extract of the story. To reprint anything longer, written permission must be acquired from [email protected].

Privacy and Cookie Policies.

Polish court convicts 14 Ukrainians, Belarusians, Russians of spying for Russia

A court in Lublin, Poland has convicted 14 Ukrainian, Belarusian and Russian citizens of spying for Russia. The defendants were sentenced to between 1 year and 6 years in prison for carrying out surveillance and other intelligence tasks.
byYuri Zoria
20/12/2023
3 minute read
Low enforcers from Poland’s Internal Security Agency, Illustrative image: gov.pl
Polish court convicts 14 Ukrainians, Belarusians, Russians of spying for Russia

On 19 December, a court in Lublin, Poland, convicted 14 Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Russian citizens of spying for Russia. The defendants admitted to conducting espionage activities inside Poland over a period of several months in 2022 and 2023, PAP reports.

“All the defendants were charged with the crime of espionage, and a significant number of them were also charged with acting in an organized criminal group,” said Judge Jarosław Kowalski in his rationale for the verdict. “There is no doubt that the defendants acted for financial gain in the broad sense of the word and in the sense of the Criminal Code,” he added.

Polish law enforcers detained the suspects in March and April.

Contemporary spy ring

The group was found to be working on behalf of Russia’s Federal Security Service, carrying out surveillance and intelligence gathering tasks focused mainly on Polish military and infrastructure sites. Their targets included airports, seaports, railways, and sites related to the transport of aid to Ukraine.

The presented evidence indicated that the defendants used the Telegram encrypted messaging app to communicate with their Russian handlers. In exchange for fulfilling tasks such as installing covert cameras or engaging in attempts to disrupt railway transport, they received payments in cryptocurrency.

Russian spy ring busted in Poland – RMF24 (updated)

The investigation revealed that group members received regular payments to reimburse their travel, accommodation, and equipment costs, along with incentives that ranged from $5 for distributing leaflets to $300-400 for installing a camera, and even up to $10,000 for attempting to derail a train.

“We are dealing with a modern, perhaps hitherto unknown way of running and organizing a spy network in the country,” Prosecutor Piotr Łopatinski told reporters.

According to the prosecutor’s indictment, the defendants were linked to foreign intelligence, specifically the Fifth Department of Operational Information and International Contacts of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB), targeting Poland.

The investigation revealed the activities of the defendants and at least ten other suspects from January to June 2023 in various cities across the country, primarily those near the Ukrainian border.

Individual members of the group were involved in purchasing camera components, purchasing and registering SIM cards, conducting surveillance and filming facilities, installing GPS transmitters on trains, recruiting people to perform tasks ordered by handler “Andrey,” transferring rewards, and disinformation activities. The group members reportedly used the purchased equipment to conduct “operational raids to collect information about critical infrastructure facilities.”

One to six years of prison time

Most of the defendants are the Ukrainian nationals, with two Belorusians, and one Russian citizen. According to the suspects, some of them had contacts with the FSB or other Russian agencies in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine or while leaving Ukraine through “filtration zones” in Crimea and along the Russian-EU borders.

Belarusian media names three alleged Russian spies detained in Poland, denies they are spies

The court handed down prison sentences ranging from 1 year and 1 month to 6 years in prison. The defendants were also ordered to pay fines and court fees. Prosecutors said the spying network was likely part of Russia’s ongoing hybrid warfare against NATO countries supporting Ukraine.

The judge singled out the case of two other defendants, who withdrew their motion for a verdict without a trial, from the separate proceedings. Their case will be considered дфеук under the general rules.

Read also:

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.  We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here

You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter

Please leave your suggestions or corrections here



    Euromaidan Press

    We are an independent media outlet that relies solely on advertising revenue to sustain itself. We do not endorse or promote any products or services for financial gain. Therefore, we kindly ask for your support by disabling your ad blocker. Your assistance helps us continue providing quality content. Thank you!

    Related Posts