JAKARTA - Poland managed to dismantle Russian spy networks operating in the country, detaining nine people said it was preparing for sabotage and monitoring rail routes to Ukraine, the interior minister said on Thursday.
As an ally of Ukraine and a center for arms shipments to the Kyiv armed forces, Poland says the country is regularly targeted by Russia's efforts to destabilize the country.
"In recent days, the Homeland Security Agency has detained nine people suspected of collaborating with Russia's secret service," Home Affairs Minister Mariusz Kaminski said at a news conference.
The suspects are foreigners from countries east of Poland.
"The suspects carried out intelligence activities against Poland and prepared acts of sabotage at the request of Russian intelligence," he said.
Kaminski further said the six detained people had been charged with espionage for Russia and participated in organized criminal groups. Meanwhile, the prosecution process against the three people detained on Wednesday is ongoing, he added.
"Internal Security Agency officers secure cameras, electronic equipment, and GPS transmitters that will be installed on aid transport for Ukraine," Kaminski said.
The group has also been ordered to carry out propaganda activities to disrupt relations between Poland and Ukraine, and they have been paid for their activities, he said.
Kaminski's statement came after private radio station RMF FM reported on Wednesday that Polish security services had detained six people suspected of spying for Russia. According to RMF, cameras were found near Jasionka airport near Rzeszow, which has become a point of transfer of weapons and ammunition sent to Ukraine.
On Wednesday, Polish President Andrzej Duda met with CIA Director William Burns. The president's office said they discussed the security situation.
It is known that several European countries have expelled Russian diplomats on spying charges since the war in Ukraine dragged relations between Moscow and the European Union to its lowest point in history.
In February, a Russian citizen who has lived and carried out business activities in Poland for years was accused of spying for Russia between 2015 and April 2022.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
