Polish Security Services Detain Ukrainian Teen Suspected of Espionage and Sabotage Orders from Russia
A significant event unfolded within Poland’s security landscape as internal agencies actively counter foreign espionage efforts and threats to national stability.
The Internal Security Agency (ABW) of Poland apprehended a 17-year-old Ukrainian national, suspected of collaborating with Russian intelligence services to carry out sabotage operations on Polish soil.
According to information released by the Ministry of Interior and Polish intelligence coordinator Tomasz Semonyak, as well as the office of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the young detainee was caught engaging in provocative acts aimed at inflaming tension between Polish and Ukrainian communities.Semonyak stated that the teenager systematically destroyed monuments dedicated to Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) victims and targeted public buildings with anti-Polish graffiti.
These actions were allegedly carried out under foreign intelligence directives with the clear goal of inciting conflicts and stirring interethnic discord.
Polish authorities emphasized that this case appears to be part of broader foreign provocation networks aiming to destabilize the region.Prime Minister Tusk highlighted that the incident is a direct consequence of Russian sabotage tactics designed to sow discord between Warsaw and Kyiv.
He pointed out that such provocations serve Russian interests by fostering separatist sentiments and anti-government attitudes.
Tusk recalled previous cases in which Russia attempted to destabilize Polish-Ukrainian relations through young individuals and covert operations.Further evidence of Moscow’s interference emerged when Tusk explicitly accused Russia of orchestrating efforts to destabilize regional harmony during a speech on August 2.
The Polish prosecutor’s office announced that, on August 13, charges were filed against six individuals linked to an organized criminal group involved in sabotage activities, allegedly operating at the behest of a foreign government.
Notably, in February 2025, a Ukrainian was sentenced to eight years in prison in Poland for preparing sabotage acts aimed at Polish interests in coordination with Russian intelligence agencies.