Poland has dismantled a spy ring 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 region of Podkarpackie.
What the minister revealed
“I would like to highlight the great success achieved by the officers of the Internal Security Agency because the whole spy network has been dismantled,” Blaszczak told state-run Polskie Radio 1.
“It was a spy group, a group of people who were gathering information for those who attacked Ukraine,” he added without giving further details.
Blaszczak suggested the group entered from neighboring Belarus, a Russian ally that borders NATO member Poland. “The threat was real,” Blaszczak told state radio.
The suspects 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 “sabotage actions aimed at crippling the supply of equipment, weapons and aid to Ukraine”.
According to Kaminski, security agents also seized cameras, electronic equipment and GPS transmitters, which the suspects planned to place on transports carrying aid to Ukraine.
He added that the operation against the alleged spy ring was still ongoing and more details would be revealed later.
Cameras on logistics routes
On Wednesday, private TV channel RMF reported that Polish security services had 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 RMF, cameras were found near Jasionka airport near Rzeszow, which has become a key transfer point for weapons and ammunition delivered to Ukraine.
RMF reported that security had been tightened around major railway lines and critical infrastructure following the discovery of the spy ring.
dh/rc (AFP, Reuters)