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Russian Couple Detained in Poland for Alleged Spy Operation and Mail Bomb Conspiracy
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Polish prosecutors have formally charged a Russian couple with espionage, and one spouse additionally with plotting to send an explosive device via courier, according to state officials according and Reuters article on October 13.
Under Poland’s privacy rules, the pair are referred to as Igor R. and his wife Irina. Igor faces extra charges related to manufacturing and dispatching a parcel bomb containing nitroglycerine and military-grade detonators.
Prosecutors allege that the two supplied Russian intelligence with information about Russian opposition activists living in Poland, as well as the individuals and institutions aiding them.
This case comes amid mounting concern in Europe over explosive-laden packages delivered via courier services. In mid-2024, detonations occurred at courier depots in the U.K., Germany, and near Warsaw, Western authorities have attributed those incidents to Russian covert operations. Moscow denies involvement.
Alongside the couple, a Ukrainian citizen had previously been charged in connection with the same bomb plot.
Polish prosecutors say these charges reflect broader Russian efforts to intimidate and undermine dissidents abroad, and to penetrate their networks of support in host countries.
The case against Igor R., Irina, and their alleged accomplices underscores the elevated risk environment in which European states now operate. It also highlights how espionage is no longer confined to shadowy tradecraft, but blends into acts of sabotage, propaganda, and technological warfare.
Earlier, it was reported that Polish authorities charged a Belarusian national with offering to cooperate with Belarusian intelligence on sabotage and espionage across the EU, including sharing information on critical infrastructure and Belarusian nationals in Poland.
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