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Poland Arrests Defense Ministry Veteran Over Suspected Ties to Russian and Belarusian Spies
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
A long-serving official at Poland’s Ministry of National Defense has been arrested on suspicion of collaborating with Russian and Belarusian intelligence, according to an official statement released by the ministry on February 3.
The arrest took place earlier that morning at the ministry’s headquarters. The case is currently being handled by Poland’s Military Counterintelligence Service in cooperation with the Military Police and the National Prosecutor’s Office.
According to Onet, the detained individual is a 60-year-old man who began working at the defense ministry in the 1990s and held various mid-level positions, including in the department of strategy and planning.
Sources familiar with the investigation told Onet that the suspect maintained direct contact with individuals identified as operatives from “eastern intelligence services.”
The arrest was preceded by a months-long counterintelligence investigation. Investigators reportedly documented and analyzed the man’s activities in detail. “The evidence gathered is considered to be very strong,” Onet quoted a source familiar with the operation as saying.
During the arrest, security services conducted searches at the suspect’s workplace and residence. Judicial procedures are currently underway, with no further information released on the specific charges.
The Polish Ministry of National Defense stated in its official communication that the arrest was carried out in coordination with military and prosecutorial authorities, and that the matter involves suspected cooperation with a foreign intelligence agency.
Onet emphasized the unusual nature of the case, describing it as “unprecedented” given the suspect’s access to a sensitive institution.
The source told the outlet: “There have been no operations like this in recent years, and the arrest of a suspected spy located in such a sensitive place as the Ministry of National Defense must be considered a clear and significant success for our counterintelligence.”
Earlier, Latvian authorities dismantled the pro-Russian group calling itself the “Anti-Fascists of the Baltics,” detaining several members suspected of supplying Russian intelligence with information on military movements, drone production facilities, and individuals supporting Ukraine.
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