espionage

A Polish court has ordered the pretrial detention of a long-serving employee of the Ministry of National Defence on suspicion of espionage, placing the man in custody for three months following his arrest earlier this week, Polish authorities said. The detention order was confirmed by Tomasz Siemoniak, Poland’s minister-coordinator of special services, after the suspect was detained on Feb. 3 on the prosecutor’s request. The man, identified by Polish media as a 60-year-old employee of the ministry, was taken into custody shortly after reporting for work. “The court decided on a three-month detention for a Ministry of National Defence employee suspected of cooperation with foreign services. He was detained on Feb. 3 on the prosecutor’s order following actions and findings by the Military Counterintelligence Service,” Siemoniak wrote on X. According to a statement from the Warsaw District Prosecutor’s Office, the suspect has been formally charged with espionage on behalf of a foreign intelligence service and with active participation in such activities. Prosecutor Alicja Szelągowska said the man provided explanations before prosecutors sought pretrial detention. The Ministry of National Defence confirmed the arrest and charges, following reporting by the Polish news outlet Onet, which first identified the suspect as a ministry employee who has worked in the department since the 1990s. Polish counterintelligence officials said the arrest followed months of monitoring by the Military Counterintelligence Service, known by its Polish acronym SKW. Authorities said investigators collected evidence before moving to detain the suspect at the start of the week. Polish officials have not publicly detailed the specific information the suspect is accused of passing, but media reports citing investigators say he is suspected of cooperating with Russian and Belarusian intelligence services. Prosecutors have not commented on operational details of the case. Under Polish law, the charges carry a potential sentence ranging from eight years in prison to life imprisonment if the suspect is convicted. The case comes amid heightened counterintelligence activity in Poland, which has intensified security measures since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Polish authorities have repeatedly warned of increased espionage efforts targeting government institutions, defense infrastructure, and logistics networks supporting Ukraine. The Military Counterintelligence Service is responsible for detecting and preventing threats to Poland’s armed forces and defense institutions, including espionage and sabotage. Officials said the investigation reflects ongoing efforts to identify and neutralize foreign intelligence penetration within state structures. The prosecutor’s office said the three-month detention period will allow investigators to continue evidence collection, question witnesses, and assess the scope of the alleged cooperation. Further procedural steps will depend on the findings during this phase, officials said. Poland has previously arrested and prosecuted individuals accused of spying for foreign intelligence services, including cases involving military facilities and critical infrastructure. Authorities have consistently framed such actions as part of broader efforts to protect national security during a period of elevated regional tension.

espionage

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espionage

Poland confirms arrest of defense ministry employee for espionage

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