Poland has arrested nine members of an alleged Russian spy ring in connection with alleged acts of sabotage in Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia, the country’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said.
“We currently have nine suspects detained and indicted, who have been directly implicated in the name of Russian services in acts of sabotage,” Tusk told private broadcaster TVN24 on Monday.
“These are Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Polish citizens,” Tusk said, adding that some may have been recruited from criminal circles.
According to Tusk, those detained are accused of “beatings, arson, and attempted arson” not only in Poland but also in Lithuania, Latvia, and possibly Sweden.
Among the examples of sabotage acts Tusk mentioned an attempt to set fire to a paint factory in Wroclaw, western Poland, as well as a fire in the IKEA warehouse in Lithuania on May 9.
An international investigation is underway, the Polish prime minister said.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda did not comment on the information shared by Tusk but said that there could be more acts of sabotage in Lithuania in the future.
“Unfortunately, we have information that this kind of sabotage could happen in the future,” he told LRT RADIO, adding that the aim is to spread anxiety and destabilise the society.
“Of course, our authorities are vigilant, they are aware of the potential threats, and they will certainly do their utmost to prevent acts of this kind and to apprehend those responsible,” the president added.
In response to the information about Russian sabotage efforts shared by the Polish prime minister, the Lithuanian Prosecutor’s Office said that officials from Lithuania and other countries cooperate and exchange relevant information.
“Pre-trial investigators and prosecutors have a lot of work to do. As soon as we have reliable and confirmed information, we will certainly share it with the public and the media,” Artūras Urbelis, chief prosecutor of the Organised Crime and Corruption Investigation Department, told journalists on Tuesday.
Last week, Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre (NKVC) warned businesses and organisations supporting Ukraine to heighten their vigilance, warning them about potential provocations and advising them to strengthen their fire safety measures.
Further reading
In recent weeks, Warsaw has announced the arrest of a man suspected of helping Russian intelligence prepare a possible attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as of several people responsible for the attack on Russian opposition activist Leonid Volkov in Vilnius.
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