Poland investigates a Russian espionage network directed against the EU, cooperates with the Czech Republic

Commercial presentation Update: 28/03/2024 20:35
Issued by: 03/28/2024, 12:28 p.m

Warsaw/Prague – Polish counterintelligence (ABW) is investigating the activities of a pro-Russian espionage network directed against member states and institutions of the European Union. This was announced today by Jacek Dobrzyński, the spokesman for the government coordinator of secret services, according to the onet.pl portal. At the same time, Poland cooperates with the Czech Republic, which was confirmed today on the Internet by the Czech counterintelligence – Security Information Service (BIS). According to the newspaper Politico, the Belgian Prime Minister also informed today about the disclosure of the Russian propaganda network and cooperation with the Czech intelligence services.

According to Polish counterintelligence, the members of the network wanted to organize pro-Russian initiatives and media campaigns in the EU with the aim of promoting the Kremlin’s official foreign policy, including weakening Poland’s position on the international stage, discrediting Ukraine and the reputation of the European Union authorities. Polish counterintelligence reported that the network had established 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 the investigation, ABW 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.”

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said during a debate in the national parliament today that unnamed MEPs were being paid to spread Russian propaganda. The Prime Minister did not mention the specific names of the members of the European Parliament. According to him, the Belgian and Czech intelligence services collaborated to break the Russian propaganda network.

“For example, it came to light that Russia was in contact with MEPs, but also paid them to spread Russian propaganda here,” said the Belgian prime minister in a discussion on the topic of interference from abroad. The Prime Minister’s spokesperson subsequently told Politico that De Croo’s comments were related to the Czech government’s decision to place the Voice of Europe server on the sanctions list. Delphine Collardová from the press department of the European Parliament made it known that the European Parliament is currently examining the findings of the Czech authorities regarding Voice of Europe.

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