Poland is investigating the activities of a Russian spy network. It was supposed to weaken Ukraine and the EU

According to ABW, the members of the network wanted to organize pro-Russian initiatives and media campaigns in the European Union with the aim of promoting official Russian foreign policy, including weakening the position of Poland on the international stage, discrediting Ukraine and the reputation of the European Union institutions.

Polish counter-intelligence said that the network had founded the Voice of Europe internet portal for this reason, for example, “on which articles, comments or interviews with a tendentious, pro-Russian tone and connected to the current international situation, including Russia’s war against Ukraine, are published”.

On Wednesday, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala informed about the inclusion of several Russian entities on the national sanctions list. Among them is the company Voice of Europe, which is registered in the Czech Republic as a Polish citizen. The newspaper N also reported that the BIS uncovered a network organized by Russia that tried to influence the elections to the European Parliament in various European countries.

In connection with this investigation, Polish counterintelligence conducted searches in Warsaw and Tychy in the Silesian Voivodeship, during which they secured 48,500 euros (1.2 million crowns) and 36,000 dollars (about 844,000 crowns). “The actions carried out are the result of international cooperation with various European secret services and coordinated especially with partners from the Czech Republic,” said ABW.

“International cooperation is absolutely crucial in the current security situation,” https://twitter.com/biscz/status/1773317040310288772?s=20 for information about the Polish investigation, BIS director Michal Koudelka on the X social network.

ABW’s actions in Poland are related to the case of a Polish citizen who was charged in January on suspicion of espionage for Moscow. He is said to have moved in the environment of Polish and European parliamentarians and carried out tasks assigned to him by members of the Russian secret services. They related, among other things, to propaganda and disinformation activities and political provocations. According to ABW, their goal was to expand Russian influence in Europe.

During her recent visit to Warsaw, the Vice-President of the European Commission, Věra Jourová, emphasized that before the elections to the European Parliament, it is important for the 27th to properly prepare for protection “against various threats, foreign intervention, disinformation campaigns, for example from the Kremlin”.

A few days ago, Polish Radio ZET reported that Jourová also discussed with Polish officials “findings regarding the elections in Slovakia, which were won by Robert Fico, who was associated with Russia, and the mechanisms used there to manipulate the election results.”