Camilla Jessen
Prosecutors say a Polish man conspired with Russia to gather information about security measures near a key Ukrainian presidential visit site.
Polish prosecutors have formally charged a Polish citizen with cooperating with Russian military intelligence in connection with an alleged plot to target Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, authorities announced in a press release on Monday, May 20.
The suspect has been identified as Pawel K..
He was detained in April 2023 and is accused of working with individuals tied to Russia’s war effort against Ukraine.
According to investigators, Pawel K.’s role centered on gathering sensitive information related to security operations at Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport, a critical logistical hub used for high-level diplomatic visits and military aid coordination.
Cross-Border Investigation
The case emerged after Ukrainian authorities, including the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Ukrainian Office of the Prosecutor General, passed information to their Polish counterparts.
Prosecutors said the joint effort between the two countries helped them gather key evidence that led to the charges against Pawel K.
“This is a serious case of foreign intelligence cooperation against Polish national interests,” a spokesperson for the Polish prosecution service said.
Potential Motive
Pawel K. is accused of cooperating with Russian military intelligence and having contact with people involved in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Prosecutors believe his role was to monitor and report on security operations connected to President Zelenskyy’s travel.
He has been charged with acting on behalf of a foreign intelligence service, which is a crime under Polish law.
If found guilty, he could face up to eight years in prison.
The case is part of a broader trend of espionage-related incidents in Europe, many of which are tied to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
In a separate but related case, Orlin Roussev, a Bulgarian national living in the UK, was sentenced to over 10 years in prison earlier this year after pleading guilty to espionage activities on behalf of Russia.
In April 2024, Ukrainian officials also revealed the arrest of another Polish national suspected of proposing an attack on President Zelenskyy during a planned trip to Warsaw.
It remains unclear whether that individual and Pawel K. are connected.