Poland’s military police have arrested a member of the armed forces reserve on suspicion of preparing to conduct espionage for a foreign intelligence service, according to Notes from Poland.
The suspect, a 31-year-old man holding both Polish and Ukrainian citizenship, was detained on 16 October whilst attending a course at the Military Medical Academy (WAM) in Łódź. He holds the rank of senior private reserve in Poland’s military forces.
A spokesman for the military police confirmed the arrest on Monday, stating that the man is suspected of declaring readiness to act on behalf of a foreign intelligence service against Poland. Polish law makes this offence punishable by up to eight years in prison.
The authorities have not disclosed which foreign intelligence service the suspect is believed to be associated with. He has been placed in pre-trial detention for three months whilst investigations continue.
Recently obtained Polish citizenship
Deputy defence minister Cezary Tomczyk told reporters that the detained man had “clearly shown himself to be someone who is conducting reconnaissance of certain types of military installations belonging to the Polish armed forces”. Tomczyk also revealed that the suspect had recently obtained Polish citizenship.
According to Rzeczpospolita, a leading Polish newspaper, the man – identified only as Vasiliy – was found with several mobile phones, documents, and substantial quantities of cash and gold. The authorities have not confirmed these details.
The arrest marks the latest in a sharp rise in espionage cases in Poland. Security services reported that the number of espionage investigations launched in 2025 was more than double the 2024 figure. The combined total for those two years exceeds the number of cases opened during the previous three decades.
Wave of Russian-linked spy cases
Poland has seen a succession of high-profile espionage convictions in recent months, most linked to Russia and Belarus. Earlier this month, a former Polish soldier was sentenced to five and a half years for spying on behalf of Russia. His tasks included reconnaissance of Rzeszów-Jasionka airport, reportedly as part of a possible plot to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his travels through Poland.
In July, a Russian married couple who had been studying in Poland were jailed for espionage and involvement in a parcel bomb plot. The following April, prosecutors charged a member of Poland’s Territorial Defence Force (WOT) with seeking to spy for Russia.
In May, three Polish citizens faced charges for working with Russian intelligence to spread disinformation and conduct reconnaissance of NATO troops stationed in Poland. Last December, a Russian national was charged with running an espionage and sabotage network on behalf of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). Investigators found that his agents were mainly Ukrainian and Belarusian nationals – a pattern seen in many other Russian hybrid operations in Poland.
What this means for Poles in Poland
The surge in espionage cases reflects an intensified Russian intelligence campaign targeting Poland, particularly since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Polish security services have warned that Moscow is using hybrid warfare tactics, including espionage, sabotage, and disinformation, to destabilise NATO’s eastern flank.
For Polish citizens and residents, especially those with dual citizenship or family ties to neighbouring countries, the arrests underscore the heightened scrutiny around sensitive military and infrastructure sites. Individuals working in defence, transport or critical infrastructure should be aware that foreign intelligence services are actively seeking to recruit sources, often offering money or exploiting financial difficulties.
Polish law treats espionage seriously: declaring readiness to spy carries up to eight years’ imprisonment, whilst actual intelligence-gathering for a foreign power can result in sentences of ten years or more. Anyone approached by suspected intelligence operatives should report the contact immediately to Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) or military counterintelligence. The recent cases demonstrate that Polish authorities are actively investigating and prosecuting espionage, regardless of the suspect’s nationality or military status.
