Poland has dismantled a spy network operating in the country, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Thursday.
The spies had hidden cameras on important railway lines, mainly in the southern Podkarpackie region.
What the minister revealed
“I would like to highlight the great success that Internal Security Agency officials have achieved in untangling the entire spy network,” Blaszczak told state broadcaster Polskie Radio 1.
“It was a spy group, a group of people gathering information for those who attacked Ukraine,” he added, without giving any further details.
Blaszczak suggested the group entered from neighboring Belarus, a Russian ally bordering NATO member Poland. “The threat was real,” Blaszczak said on state radio.
Suspects have prepared sabotage actions
Later Thursday, Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski said the Internal Security Agency had arrested nine people suspected of spying for Russia in the case. Three were arrested on Wednesday.
He told a press conference in Warsaw that the suspects were “preparing acts of sabotage aimed at crippling supplies of equipment, weapons and aid to Ukraine.”
According to Kaminski, the security forces also seized cameras, electronic devices and GPS transmitters that the suspects tried to attach to aid shipments to Ukraine.
He added that the operation against the alleged spy ring was still ongoing and that more details would be announced at a later date.
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Cameras on logistic routes
On Wednesday, private broadcaster RMF reported that Polish security services arrested six people suspected of spying for Russia. According to the report, those arrested came from countries east of Poland and worked for the Russian secret service.
According to the RMF, cameras were found near the Jasionka airport near Rzeszow, which has become a major transhipment point for arms and ammunition supplies to Ukraine.
RMF reported that as a result of the discovery of the spy network, security around major railway lines and critical infrastructure has been strengthened.
dh/rc (AFP, Portal)