Two Men Charged with Spying for Belarus Indicted in Poland.
Charges have been filed against a 53-year-old Belarusian citizen and a 59-year-old Pole in the city of Lublin.
Two men have been indicted in Poland on charges relating to spying for Belarus, Polish prosecutors said on Tuesday.
The latest in a string of espionage cases in Poland was said to concern cooperation with Minsk’s intelligence services.
Warsaw says its role as a hub for supplies to Ukraine has made it a target for spies working for Russia and its ally Belarus, as well as for acts of sabotage.
Minsk and Moscow both deny accusations that they are responsible for any acts of sabotage in the NATO member state.
A spokesperson for prosecutors in the southern Polish city of Lublin said in a statement that an indictment had been filed against a 53-year-old Belarusian citizen, identified only as Nikolay M. due to privacy laws, and a 59-year-old Pole, Bernard S.
The Belarusian has been charged with spying on a military airport in Biala Podlaska, eastern Poland, and collecting information on railway infrastructure, military equipment, and Polish special services activities.
Bernard S. was charged with assisting Nikolay M. by organizing his stay in Poland and giving him a place to live.
They each face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty.
In a separate statement, Poland’s Internal Security Agency said it detained the men in March 2023.
Belarus has yet to comment on these latest arrests, which coincide with heightened tensions between Minsk and Warsaw.
Poland has accused Belarus of weaponizing migrant crossings on its eastern border, with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announcing last month that the nation would be suspending the right to asylum for those who entered via that route.
According to Tusk, the European Union’s asylum rights are being abused by Belarus and Russia.
Tens of thousands of would-be immigrants, many from the Middle East and Africa, have attempted to cross the border into Poland via Belarus in recent years, with as many as 2,500 reported last month and more than 26,000 so far this year.
Belarusian border guards have been seen aiding groups of migrants in crossing the border as part of what Tusk has branded a “hybrid war” tactic designed to drive anti-migration sentiment and tie up state resources.
This has already prompted Warsaw to invest in stronger border infrastructure and set up a special border zone to give tougher powers to local authorities.
Issues on Poland’s eastern flank have also caused ructions within the EU, with Tusk also criticizing Germany after it announced tighter controls on its land borders after a spate of stabbing attacks perpetrated by illegal immigrants.
Tusk said that Poland didn’t require tighter controls on its western border, but rather more engagement from Berlin and others in securing the external borders of the EU.
Reuters contributed to this report.
