Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) has dismantled a Russian espionage network operating in the country, arresting three Polish citizens suspected of gathering intelligence on Nato forces and preparing sabotage operations. The detentions, carried out on 12 May in Bialystok, mark the latest in a series of counter-intelligence actions linked to Moscow’s hybrid warfare against Europe. The investigation remains ongoing, and the suspects face prison terms ranging from eight years to life.
Three Poles arrested in Bialystok
The ABW detained the three individuals on suspicion of spying for Russia, the agency confirmed in a statement. According to the investigation, the suspects collected detailed information on the positioning of Nato troops in Poland, disseminated propaganda and disinformation materials, and prepared to carry out diversionary tasks. They also distributed symbols supporting Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and publicly praised the war. A court in Bialystok ordered all three into temporary custody for three months, as reported by Polish Radio 24 in its
coverage of the case. The legal proceedings are in their early stages.
Russia’s espionage campaign in Poland
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Poland has experienced an unprecedented surge in Russian intelligence activity. Moscow’s primary targets include critical infrastructure, military bases, and logistics routes supplying Western weapons to Ukraine. In February 2026, Warsaw arrested a senior official from the Ministry of National Defence’s strategy and planning department, who had long-standing access to sensitive defence information and is suspected of cooperating with Russian intelligence. In mid-April, a Territorial Defence Force soldier was also detained on espionage charges.
Broader hybrid warfare against Europe
The latest arrests underline that Russia’s war against Ukraine has expanded far beyond Ukrainian borders into a large-scale hybrid aggression against Europe. The Kremlin employs a full toolkit — from disinformation campaigns to classic espionage and sabotage — aimed at undermining Nato unity and weakening European support for Kyiv. The collection of data on military infrastructure and Alliance forces demonstrates that Moscow treats EU member states as adversaries. The Independent has highlighted how such
spy networks threaten Nato’s eastern flank.
Need for stronger Nato-EU coordination
European countries must enhance co-ordination between Nato and EU intelligence agencies, increase the exchange of intelligence data, and more actively monitor recruitment attempts via digital platforms. Particular attention should be paid to protecting critical infrastructure, military sites, and logistics routes for aid to Ukraine. Without systematic countermeasures against Russian spy networks, Europe risks facing new acts of sabotage and large-scale security crises. The Polish case serves as a stark warning that the Kremlin’s strategy of exhaustion extends to allies’ resources and societal trust.
