Poland arrests 11 suspects linked to Russian influence operation targeting Ukrainian refugees

Polish internal security service ABW, together with the border guard, detained nine Ukrainian nationals and two Belarusians across Warsaw, Wrocław, Kraków, Zakopane and Bydgoszcz. Authorities allege the group recruited and paid participants to organise demonstrations among Ukrainian refugees in Poland as part of a Russian‑backed influence campaign. The operation used emotionally charged topics, such as alleged corruption scandals in Ukraine, to provoke protests and undermine public trust, creating social tension.

Minister of the Interior Tomasz Siemoniak said the detainees will be expelled from Poland. The ABW characterised the activity as “a case of actions below the threshold of conventional aggression,” aimed at influencing the refugee community and spreading political slogans.

The arrests represent a coordinated response by Polish security agencies to foreign‑directed hybrid operations targeting vulnerable groups within the country.