Special Services

In the years 2016-2023, thanks to the work of the Polish counterintelligence 46 individuals, suspected of collaborating with Russian and Belarusian services against Poland, were arrested. The statistics show a significant increase in the efficiency of the Polish services’ actions - in the years 2008-2015 the Polish services were able to bring espionage charges against 11 suspects altogether.

The espionage-related investigations conducted in recent years enabled to identify individuals collaborating with foreign intelligence, to neutralize intelligence operations targeted at Poland and also to make recognition of the current modus operandi of Russian and Belarusian special services.

The Polish counterintelligence is also successful in neutralizing threats coming from foreign intelligence thanks to their administrative actions. In the years 2016-2023 the actions by the Polish services led to the identification of 55 officers of the Russian and Belarusian intelligence, who worked in Poland under diplomatic cover. The Russians and Belarusians expelled from Poland had been in fact special services officers who had conducted intelligence operations against Poland. In the years 2008-2015 such mechanisms were used by the Polish services far less often. During this period Poland expelled 7 „diplomats” altogether.

What’s more, between 2016 and 2023, thanks to the efforts by the ABW, 13 diplomats, whose presence in Poland posed an intelligence-related threat, were refused to get their accreditation. In the years 2008-2014 a similar situation applied only with regard to 1 diplomat.

Thanks to the actions undertaken by the counterintelligence, Poland applies also mechanisms of banning entry to the territory of the Republic of Poland. In the years 2016-2023, upon request of the Internal Security Agency, 816 individuals, whose presence could have posed intel-related threats, were put on the entry ban list. In most of the cases they were directly linked to the special services of Russia and Belarus. Thanks to the recognition made by the Polish counterintelligence, such decisions relate to members of circles and groups that very often constitute resources for the Russian and Belarusian intelligence. In the years 2008-2015 the Internal Security Agency and the Military Counterintelligence Service submitted similar requests only in the case of 25 individuals.

The Polish counterintelligence apply existing tools in order to effectively combat foreign services’ efforts targeted at Poland. The statistics prove that this fundamental task of counterintelligence is a priority for the current government.

The above-mentioned data show that Poland’s counterintelligence services treat Russia and Belarus as a threat that must be neutralized. The special and security services of Russia or of Russia-controlled Belarus are not and shall never be a partner for the Polish counterintelligence.

Mariusz Kamiński

Minister - Special Services and Intelligence Coordinator