Poland deports nine Ukrainian and two Belarusian nationals suspected of running Russian-funded influence operation
Polish authorities have detained and deported nine Ukrainian and two Belarusian nationals suspected of organizing Russian-funded protests against the Ukrainian government, using Ukrainian refugees in Poland.
Polish security services have detained and deported nine Ukrainian and two Belarusian nationals over the past several days, suspected of running a Russian-funded influence operation targeting Ukrainian refugees in Poland.
The arrests took place in Warsaw, Wroclaw, Krakow, Zakopane, and Bydgoszcz. Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) stated that those detained have ties to Russia and Belarus.
According to the ABW, beginning in the fall of 2025, the suspects recruited Ukrainian refugees living in Poland to participate in demonstrations against Ukrainian authorities. They exploited emotionally charged issues, including corruption scandals in Ukraine, to fuel the protests. The organizers allegedly paid participants with money originating from Russia.
Polish authorities said the organizers used the refugees to inflame social tensions and erode public trust in the Ukrainian government. Russian officials had not commented on the ABW's statement as of publication.
