Behind the banner of promoting culture and science lies a network of links to Russian intelligence. Although the Warsaw-based “Russian House” has officially suspended its activities, its structures continue to actively “fish” for Polish students and disseminate Kremlin propaganda. As it turns out, the head of the Warsaw office lives in FSB housing blocks in Moscow. Questions are being raised about the effectiveness of the Polish services’ response to the activities of Russian influence agents.
The Russian Center for Science and Culture (RCSC) is an institution run by the Russian Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation, known as Rossotrudnichestvo. The agency is supervised by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The RCSC operates in many countries, including Poland, under the name “Russian House.” In theory, it is meant to protect and promote Russian culture; in practice, it is a cynical tool of intelligence, disinformation, and hard propaganda.
Links to Russian intelligence services
There is evidence linking employees of Russian Houses to Russian intelligence agencies—unfortunately, also in Poland. Ukrainian news channel Kanal 24 conducted an analysis of the “Russian House” network and the activities of Rossotrudnichestvo. The station obtained the names of employees and their places of residence. It turned out that directors and assistants of Russian cultural centers live near the SVR (Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation) Academy or FSB institutes.
This is the case for Ilya Dmitrievich Streltsov (born April 11, 1979), head of Rossotrudnichestvo’s office in the Republic of Poland. He resides in Moscow at 39 Letchiki Babushkina Street—in a building designated for FSB personnel. It is located about 100 meters from the Moscow Border Institute of the FSB and near the Academy of the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation.
Hunting for students and opinion leaders
What does the activity of the Russian House in Poland look like? Highly concerning. Since March, it has intensified its online operations, sharing communications from the Russian headquarters.
It appears that Russian universities are freely “recruiting” students in Poland. In April, the embassy of Poland’s eastern neighbor and the Russian House’s profile on websites and Facebook announced an open call for applications to the Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia. They provide accessible guidance—in English—on how to enroll under preferential conditions.
That’s not all. In April, the Russian House’s profile in Poland also invited participants to a summer program enabling studies at Lomonosov Moscow State University, offering up to a 99% discount on tuition fees.
It also promotes on social media the youth program “Ross Cooperation – New Generation,” offering trips to Russia for “young leaders” who want to get to know the country “from the inside.”
In spring, the Russian House in Poland also promoted the “Victory Dictation” project. Its aim is to “preserve the truth about the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945 and protect our history from falsification.” The event is to be held in 77 countries worldwide.
It also promoted the 3rd international competition “My Family in History”—for the best essay on Russian genealogy, emigration, and history—as well as the 26th Pushkin Competition, aimed at “Russian teachers from near and far abroad.”
Officially, Polish authorities have so far taken no action regarding the activities of the Russian House in the country.
On February 25, 2026, a notice appeared on its fanpage about a “temporary suspension” of operations. It was announced that matters related to educating Polish citizens at Russian universities would be handled by the Russian office in Hungary. However, as can be seen, the Russian “propaganda megaphone” and influence network continue to operate—possibly under altered arrangements.