Poland reports unprecedented rise in Russian hybrid attacks

Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) released its first public report since 2014, warning of an "unprecedented increase" in Russian hybrid attacks on Polish security. The agency recorded 69 espionage investigations over the past two years – a total equal to the cases logged in the previous three decades – with 48 new cases in 2025 compared with 21 in 2024. Before the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the annual average was five cases.

Since 2021, charges have been brought against 82 individuals, 62 of whom remain detained. The attacks focus on military sites, critical infrastructure, public buildings and venues that support Ukraine’s war effort. ABW says Russian services constantly modify tactics, employing online intermediaries paid in cryptocurrency and collaborating with organized crime networks.

Belarus, a Russian ally, continues infiltration activities, especially among exile communities of anti‑Kremlin dissidents, while China is noted for pursuing economic and political influence strategies linked to the hybrid threat.