Polish security services report a surge in covert actions orchestrated by Russian intelligence agencies, aiming to destabilize Poland and its NATO and EU allies. The Internal Security Agency (ABW) disclosed these activities, identifying an extensive spy network dismantled in 2023, involving 16 individuals from Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.
Increased Sabotage in 2024
According to the ABW, Russia-backed sabotage operations on Polish territory have sharply increased in 2024, focusing on civilian infrastructure, including large warehouses and stores, primarily through arson attacks. These acts are part of a growing shift toward terror tactics that threaten civilian security and public morale.
ABW noted that young people from former Soviet states, particularly Ukraine and Belarus, are being recruited for these covert tasks. Motivated largely by financial incentives, these recruits often communicate through social media and encrypted apps, with payments made in cryptocurrency, obscuring the identities of their handlers.
Testing Western Resilience
These covert activities aim not only to intimidate the public but also to assess Poland’s and NATO’s resilience to hybrid threats. Prosecutors are overseeing several investigations related to this rising subversive activity, indicating an ongoing effort to counteract and expose these destabilizing Russian actions.