Poland detains Ukrainian suspected of spying for Russia

Poland's internal security service (ABW) detained a Ukrainian suspected of spying on Polish military facilities on behalf of Russian intelligence services, Polish news outlet RMF24 reported on April 1.

Polish prosecutors in eastern Masovian province charged the suspect with espionage, with a possible penalty of five to 30 years in prison.

The Ukrainian admitted to the charges, saying he worked for Russia for ideological reasons, RMF24 wrote. Polish authorities placed the suspect under arrest for three months as the criminal proceedings are ongoing.

Arrests of suspected Russian intelligence agents in Poland have spiked over the past years as Warsaw has become a crucial ally of Ukraine in its struggle against Russian invasion.

Russian intelligence has also been accused of orchestrating an arson attack against a shopping center in Warsaw in 2024.

NATO member Poland borders Russia's ally Belarus and the heavily militarized Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. As warnings about a potential clash between Moscow and the alliance mount, Poland would stand at the front line of such a conflict.

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The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek