Special Services

The Internal Security Agency (ABW) has detained Janusz N., a Polish man suspected of cooperating with the Russian Federation and acting to the detriment of the interests of Poland. According to the evidence gathered by the Agency, Janusz N. carried out activities fitting in Russia’s information warfare efforts against Poland. The suspect was involved in the activities within the Kremlin’s propaganda campaign designed to push narratives aimed to smear Poland on the international arena, and in the EU in particular.

For more details about the investigation and findings made by the ABW about the suspect’s activities read our press information available at: www.gov.pl

These most recent efforts made by the ABW are yet another example of an efficient response of the Polish special services to the Russian capabilities to carry out aggressive information warfare activities against Poland.

In recent weeks, the ABW has been particularly busy neutralizing this specific threat.

In mid-May, the Agency informed it had taken down telecommunications infrastructure facilitating the spread of disinformation targeted against the interests and image of Poland. Namely, the officers of the Agency detained two individuals suspected of disrupting the ICT network. They also dismantled infrastructure that served to anonymize the identity of the users of the Internet and telephone connections. The devices found at the scene had been used by the actors that engage in information warfare efforts against Poland.

Read more about this topic here: www.gov.pl

The Russian disinformation campaigns are intended to undermine not only the interests of Poland, but also the interests of NATO. Poland is an important member of the Alliance. And this was exactly the area of activity of the Russian “journalist” Evgenyi Reshetnev entered earlier this year in the register of foreigners whose stay within the territory of Poland is undesirable. It was the head of Poland’s Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW) who had requested for that move. As found by the SKW, the Russian man would collect information that was later used by Russia in its actions targeted against Poland, including disinformation campaigns. His activity posed a threat to the interests of Warsaw and the Allied forces stationed in Poland.

For details about this operation visit: www.gov.pl

In a similar operation, the ABW nabbed a man suspected of spying for Russia. The man’s area of activity was also Poland’s military sector. As found by the Polish civilian counter-intelligence agency, the 43-year-old Pole had performed tasks expected of him, including providing the Russian intelligence services with information and materials related to the Polish military sector, entities as well as some Polish citizens. These included the data of crucial importance for the Russian activities on the territory and to the detriment of Poland.

Details available at: www.gov.pl

In the last couple of weeks, the Polish counterintelligence has also identified persons involved in efforts in favor of the Russian entities that carry out aggressive activities against Poland.

Last March, the Russian propagandist Leonid Sviridov had his ban on entry to Poland extended until 2025. The ABW had moved for the renewal of such restrictions with regard to the Russian national. Between 2015 and 2020, he kept on carrying out activities for the benefit of Russian propaganda aimed against the interests of Poland.

Find out more in the following press release: www.gov.pl

Recently, the activity of Russia against Poland has been growing more intense. This includes the activity of the Russian nationals who stay in Poland on a diplomatic status. In April, 2021, three members of the Russian diplomatic mission to our country have been expelled as personae non gratae. The reason for this was that they had engaged in activities well beyond their status as diplomats. As found by the ABW, they had ties to the special services of the Russian Federation and their further stay on the territory of Poland would pose a real threat to its interests.

Read more: www.gov.pl

The number and scope of operations of the Polish counter-intelligence services in the last couple of months show clearly that Poland is a regular target of the Russian hostile activities. With its efforts, the Military Counterintelligence Service and the Internal Security Agency were able to neutralize the threats stemming from the actions taken by the aforementioned persons. At the same time, the efficiency of these defensive actions by the Polish special services proves that the threats posed by Russia constitute an ongoing challenge for Poland and the whole West.

Spokesperson for Poland’s Minister-Special Services Coordinator