A Polish court has released a Ukrainian man accused of holding dozens of Russian documents, including 46 passports, in connection with an ongoing investigation into sabotage on the country’s railways, Polish media reported.
Poland faces wave of rail incidents
Over the past month, Poland has faced a series of suspicious incidents on its rail network, including equipment tampering and signal disruptions, raising fears of coordinated sabotage.
Authorities suspect Russian intelligence involvement, part of a broader pattern of interference targeting critical infrastructure across Europe. These attacks aim to disrupt supply lines and create political and economic pressure on Ukraine’s allies.
Four detained, three released
Mykhailo Ch. was one of four people detained by Polish security services on 18 November after alleged Russian-linked attacks on the railway.
Authorities later said they found no evidence linking any of the four to the sabotage, and three were released. Ch. remained in custody on a separate charge of unlawfully possessing foreign documents.
46 passports, no flight risk
Prosecutors say he held multiple Russian passports and other identification issued by Russian authorities, a violation of Polish criminal law punishable by up to two years in prison.
They requested pre-trial detention, but the court rejected the motion, citing no risk of flight, obstruction, or hiding.
Prosecution appeals
The prosecution has already appealed, calling the decision legally flawed and pointing to Ch.’s lack of permanent residence in Poland.
The case highlights concerns over foreign documents and potential Russian influence amid the broader railway sabotage investigation.
Russian intel behind earlier rail sabotage, Poland confirmed
Earlier this month, Poland confirmed that Russian intelligence was behind a sabotage operation on a rail line southeast of Warsaw. Two Ukrainian citizens working with Russian services detonated explosives using a 300-meter cable before fleeing across the Belarus border.
The plot targeted the Warsaw-Lublin route, a key corridor for moving Western weapons to Ukraine, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described it as one of the country’s most serious security challenges.
