Warsaw: two men accused of recruiting spies for Belarus
The Internal Security Agency has arrested a 19-year-old Belarusian citizen and a 44-year-old Pole in the capital. According to prosecutors, they recruited people to work for foreign intelligence.
Warsaw: two men accused of recruiting spies for Belarus
The Internal Security Agency has arrested two men in Warsaw suspected of intelligence activity on behalf of the regime in Minsk. On Thursday, prosecutors announced that charges had been brought against them.
One of those arrested is 19-year-old Belarusian Aliaksei B., the other is a 44-year-old Polish citizen Rafał G. According to investigators, since 2024 they recruited people of various nationalities in the capital and other regions of the country. These individuals were to carry out tasks on behalf of Belarusian special services.
The group operated mainly through the Telegram messenger. Those recruited were to spread propaganda messages supporting the authoritarian government of Aliaksandr Lukashenko, among other things. Some were also given more dangerous tasks — they were to document critical infrastructure facilities and other places important to state security.
Those who completed assignments were paid in virtual currency. The photographs and recordings collected were then sent to Minsk, where they were used in disinformation operations, prosecutors said.
Spokesman for the coordinator of special services Jacek Dobrzyński explained that the suspects also took part in meetings of the Belarusian diaspora in Warsaw. There they secretly registered participants, and the materials were passed on to Belarusian security services.
The court decided on a three-month detention for the younger of the two men. The older one was released with a ban on leaving the country and his passport confiscated.
The case is part of a broader investigation. In November, five more people were arrested in a similar operation — two Ukrainian citizens and three Belarusians. Three of them are in detention, a minor was sent to a reformatory. One of the proceedings was discontinued due to the death of the suspect.
The investigation is ongoing, authorities said. They have not ruled out further arrests.
Source: ČT24
Source: ČT24