Poland’s Internal Security Agency, ABW, has detained two Ukrainian citizens in Minsk Mazowiecki on suspicion of Russian-directed espionage and sabotage. The case matters not only because of the alleged reconnaissance of infrastructure, but because Polish authorities say the alleged operation may also have been designed to direct suspicion toward Ukraine.
Tomasz Siemoniak, the minister coordinating Poland’s special services, said the men, aged 24 and 25, are suspected of surveying and photographing critical and military infrastructure in Poland. He said they also face allegations relating to vehicle arson. Both have been placed in temporary detention for three months, with the investigation supervised by the Lodz branch of the National Prosecutor’s Office.
According to Siemoniak’s account of ABW findings, vehicle registration plates had earlier been changed to resemble plates used on Ukrainian military vehicles. The agency’s assessment, as relayed by the minister, is that this could have obscured the background to the incidents, shifted suspicion toward Ukraine and supplied material for disinformation.
That allegation gives the case a wider security significance. If supported by evidence in court, the alleged conduct would point to a dual purpose: physical disruption alongside manipulation of how that disruption is understood. A false lead built around a recognisable military association can deepen tensions before investigators have established responsibility. The appropriate response is therefore a precise investigation and disciplined public language, not suspicion directed at Ukrainians as a group.
The available reporting describes allegations and investigative assessments. It does not identify the sites allegedly surveyed, give dates or locations for the alleged arsons, set out the evidence, or include a response from the defence. [Polsat News](https://www.polsatnews.pl/wiadomosc/2026-11-10/abw-zatrzymala-ukraincow-podejrzanych-o-szpiegostwo-rozpoznawali-i-robili-zdjecia) and [TVN24](https://tvn24.pl/lodz/abw-zatrzymala-dwoch-obywateli-ukrainy-sa-podejrzani-o-szpiegostwo-na-rzecz-rosji-st9331528) reported the detentions and the authorities’ account of the investigation.
Sources
- Polsat News · Source date: 2026-11-10
- TVN24 · Source date: 2026-11-10
Independent editorial content. WUA is not affiliated with any political party. 2026-11-10