Poland has completed an investigation into a spy network that operated under the orders of Russian intelligence – an indictment against 16 people has been submitted to the court.

As reported by RMF FM, the District Prosecutor's Office in Lublin, together with the Internal Security Agency, submitted to the court an indictment against 16 people who were part of a Russian spy network.

The prosecutor accused the defendants of participating in an organised criminal group and operating in favour of foreign intelligence against the interests of the Republic of Poland.

Due to the real possibility of the defendants attempting to escape, at the request of the prosecutor, a preventive measure in the form of detention was imposed on 15 people.

The accused are facing up to 10 years of imprisonment.

The spies operated from January to March 2023 in Biała Podlaska, Chełm, Medyka, Przemyśl, Rzeszów, Warsaw, as well as in other populated areas in the country, including Pomerelia.

"The defendants carried out activities related, among other things, to the reconnaissance of critical infrastructure facilities, including military facilities and seaports," the prosecutor's office reports.

The members of the spy network "informed their employers about the results of the reconnaissance conducted, for which they received a reward". All the defendants are foreigners originally from across the eastern border of Poland.

The suspects installed, in particular, webcams on the routes of vehicles carrying Western military aid to Ukraine. They were also supposed to install GPS tags on these vehicles. 

According to the prosecutor's office, they were conducting anti-Polish propaganda and preparing to commit acts of sabotage.

They regularly passed on the information they received to their managers, who recruited them, in particular through social media.

On 16 March, Mariusz Kamiński, Minister of the Interior and Administration and Minister-Coordinator of Polish special services, reported that the Internal Security Agency had dismantled a spy network that was operating in favour of Russia.  

The case involved, also, a Russian hockey player who plays for a first-league club in Silesia. He specialised in the reconnaissance of facilities related to the country's defence. In addition, he conducted exploration of critical infrastructure facilities.