Polish national arrested for alleged plot to assassinate Ukraine's President on behalf of Russia
Prosecutors claim that his actions were aimed at assisting Russian special services in planning a potential assassination of President Zelenskyy.
A Polish man, identified as Pawel K, has been apprehended and charged for his alleged involvement in aiding Russia's military intelligence in a plot to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to prosecutors.
Pawel K purportedly sought contact with individuals directly linked to the conflict in Ukraine, intending to provide detailed security information regarding the Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport in southeastern Poland to Russian agents. Prosecutors claim that his actions were aimed at assisting Russian special services in planning a potential assassination of President Zelenskyy.
The suspect was detained in Poland on Wednesday, as announced by the country's national prosecutor's office.
If found guilty, he could face a maximum sentence of eight years in prison, according to the statement.
Poland, a staunch supporter of Ukraine and President Zelenskyy during the ongoing conflict with Russia, maintains significant cooperation with its neighbor. Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport, situated near the Ukrainian border, serves as a crucial gateway for international military and humanitarian aid destined for Ukraine, under the control of US forces.
Prosecutors in Poland emphasized that the arrest was made possible through close collaboration with Ukrainian security services, who provided vital intelligence leading to the apprehension. The investigation is ongoing.
In a separate incident in Germany, federal prosecutors disclosed the arrest of two German-Russian individuals suspected of espionage. One of them allegedly agreed to conduct attacks on potential targets, including US military installations, with the aim of disrupting aid efforts for Ukraine. The suspects, identified as Dieter S and Alexander J, were detained in Bayreuth, Bavaria, on Wednesday.
Several individuals, including a dual Russian-Spanish citizen, have been arrested in Poland on espionage charges since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
