Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) has arrested a Russian intelligence operative working inside the country's Defense Ministry, according to a report by Wprost.
The agent, whose identity has not been disclosed, was employed within the Department of Strategy and had access to sensitive military planning documents at a time when Poland serves as a critical logistics hub for Western military aid to Ukraine.
The arrest represents a significant security breach for a NATO member state that has positioned itself at the forefront of European support for Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression. Poland currently hosts thousands of NATO troops as part of enhanced forward presence operations and serves as a primary transit point for weapons shipments to Ukraine.
Intelligence sources told Wprost that the investigation has been ongoing for several months, suggesting authorities were monitoring the suspect's activities before making the arrest. The timing of the operation raises questions about what information may have been compromised during the infiltration.
In Poland, as across Central Europe, history is never far from the surface—and neither is the memory of occupation. The discovery of Russian intelligence penetration within Poland's defense apparatus carries particular resonance in a country that spent decades under Soviet domination and now finds itself once again on the front line of European security.
The Polish Ministry of Defense has not issued an official statement, but government sources indicated the matter is being treated with the highest priority. The case will likely be prosecuted under Poland's stringent espionage laws, which carry sentences of up to 15 years imprisonment.
NATO officials have been briefed on the arrest, according to diplomatic sources in Warsaw. The alliance maintains strict intelligence-sharing protocols, and any compromise of Polish defense information could potentially affect broader NATO operational security.
The arrest comes amid heightened tensions along NATO's eastern flank, with Poland substantially increasing its defense spending to reach 4% of GDP—the highest level in the alliance. Warsaw has also committed to expanding its armed forces to 300,000 active-duty personnel, making it one of Europe's largest military powers.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who has made robust defense against Russian aggression a cornerstone of his government's foreign policy, is expected to address the security breach in coming days. His administration has worked to repair Poland's relationship with the European Union while maintaining an uncompromising stance on the threat posed by Moscow.
Polish counterintelligence services have documented numerous Russian espionage attempts since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, including sabotage operations targeting military supply chains and attempts to recruit Polish citizens with access to sensitive information.
The infiltration of the Defense Ministry represents the most serious known penetration of Poland's security apparatus in recent years, underlining the continuing challenge NATO member states face in defending against Russian intelligence operations even as conventional military forces remain focused on the war in Ukraine.
