Authorities in Warsaw have revealed that a professional ice hockey player from Poland’s top league has been charged with espionage on behalf of Russia.
The individual, who holds Russian citizenship, was apprehended on June 11 in Silesia, located in southern Poland. It is believed that he is associated with a Russian spy network.
Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) has detained a total of 14 individuals thus far, all of whom are suspected of being part of the same group. While the suspects come from countries situated to the east of Poland, not all of them are necessarily Russian citizens.
The long-standing espionage conflict between Russia and Western nations has escalated significantly since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Poland, a staunch ally of Ukraine, has provided military support, financial assistance, and refuge to millions of Ukrainian refugees.
In a statement on Friday, Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said the arrested ice hockey player was competing in a club from the country’ s Ligue 1 – the second-highest division.
“A spy who acted under the guise of an athlete was caught,” the minister said. He did not name the detained player, but several Polish media outlets identified the suspect as Maksim S.
He is now being held in pre-trial detention. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
The charged ice hockey player has not made any public comment so far.
The Russian foreign ministry protested to Poland over the detention of the player. “We demand that the Russian side be immediately provided with comprehensive explanations,” ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova was quoted as saying by Russia’s state-run Interfax news agency.
On Friday, the Polish authorities said the suspected Russian spy ring had been used by Moscow to conduct intelligence activities, including the monitoring of railways, as well as spreading propaganda against Poland and the Nato military alliance.
The authorities also claimed the ring had prepared sabotage acts ordered by Russian intelligence.