Poland Detains Six on Suspicion of Supplying Military Parts to Russia for Intelligence Services

Six Detained in Polish Espionage and Smuggling Operation

Polish authorities detained six people, including five Polish citizens and one Russian woman, on suspicion of operating an organised criminal group that illegally supplied military components to Russia on behalf of Russian intelligence. [1] The arrests took place between 21 October and 2 November following searches of 21 locations. [5] Four of the suspects were charged with espionage and placed in pretrial detention while the other two received preventative measures. [1] The operation was announced on Thursday morning by Poland’s Internal Security Agency and National Prosecutor’s Office. [1] Prosecutors report that all six suspects have been charged with participating in an organised criminal group that sought to export weapon components from Poland to Russia in violation of a ban on such trade. [1]

Details of the Smuggled Military Components

The group is accused of smuggling over 2 million zloty (€450,000) worth of military components, including those used in ammunition and weapons systems, to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad using vehicles with hidden compartments. [1] The ABW says that the criminal group “illegally supplied Russia with significant quantities of military components, including those used in the production of ammunition and weapons systems”. [1] “This type of activity may lead to the strengthening of the Russian arms industry and the military capabilities of the Russian Federation, and thus pose a serious threat to Poland’s security and interests,” wrote the agency. [1] The investigation has found that the detainees were acting on behalf of Russian secret services and were involved in a scheme aimed at supporting Russia's military capabilities. [5] The group is also believed to have illegally supplied Russia with significant quantities of military-grade materials used in the production of ammunition and weapons systems. [5]

Operation Timeline and Cross-Border Activity

The operation ran at least from June 2023 to December 2025 across Poland, Lithuania and Russia, with some transports intercepted by Polish border guards. [1] Prosecutors say that the group operated at least between June 2023 and December 2025 in Poland, Lithuania and Russia. [1] Members were responsible for procuring goods and transporting them to Kaliningrad, which borders Poland and Lithuania. [1] “Vehicles equipped with hidden compartments were used to transport the goods,” wrote the prosecutor’s office. [1] “The suspects repeatedly crossed the Polish-Russian border, and some of the transports were intercepted by Polish border guards.” [1] During an operation conducted from 21 October to 2 November, Internal Security Agency officers searched 21 locations in the Warmian-Masurian, Pomeranian and Greater Poland voivodeships and detained six suspects linked to a criminal group. [5]

Suspects and Their Alleged Ties to Russian Intelligence

Tomasz Siemoniak, the minister in charge of the security services, revealed that the six suspects include five Polish citizens, aged 25 to 52, and one Russian woman, aged 37. [1] Onet, a leading news website, reports, based on unnamed sources, that the Russian citizen acted as a liaison between the group and the foreign intelligence agency behind the operation. [1] Four of the suspects have also been charged under Poland’s espionage law, accused of acting on behalf of Russian intelligence in return for financial benefits. [1] A court remanded four of them in custody, while other preventive measures were imposed on the remaining two. [5] The investigation is ongoing under the supervision of the Podlaskie Branch of the Prosecutor's Office. [5]

Context of Rising Espionage Cases in Poland

Poland has recorded a sharp rise in espionage cases, launching 48 investigations last year — more than double the 2024 figure — with several recent convictions and arrests for spying on behalf of Russia. [1] The ABW launched 48 investigations related to espionage last year, more than twice as many as in 2024. [1] In those two years taken together, there were more espionage investigations than over the previous three decades combined. [1] Last month, a Polish man was jailed for five and a half years for spying on behalf of Russia. [1] The tasks assigned to him included reconnaissance of an airport as part of a possible plan to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky while he travelled through Poland. [1] In July, a Russian married couple with refugee status in Poland were convicted of working as spies on behalf of Moscow. [1] In October, a member of Poland’s military reserve, who holds both Polish and Ukrainian citizenship, was detained on suspicion of espionage. [1]

Other Crime and Security Incidents Reported Thursday

Separate incidents on the same day included hoax bomb threats affecting at least three flights in or to Italy and the diversion of a passenger plane to a French air base over a bomb threat. [2] False bomb alerts were reported on a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome and a Wizz Air flight from Milan to Warsaw on Thursday, with the Wizz Air jet re-routed to Vienna, the airlines said. [2] A passenger plane was diverted to a French air base following a bomb threat on board, with the situation monitored in real time by French authorities. [3]

What to watch next: The investigation into the Polish smuggling case continues under the supervision of the Podlaskie Branch of the Prosecutor's Office, while Polish authorities have noted a broader increase in espionage probes compared with previous decades.