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Poland detains Belarusian man suspected of spying for Russia

Suspect, who is accused of being part of a "Russian spy ring", allegedly took part in reconnaissance of military facilities and ports and carried out propaganda activities for Moscow.

AP

The Polish government said that the recently arrested Belarusian man came to Poland in 2021 and "maintained contacts with citizens of the Russian Federation, with whom he held meetings with in Saint Petersburg and Crimea."Photo: AP

Poland has detained a Belarusian man on suspicion of being part of a "Russian spy ring", according to Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski.

"Belarusian Mikhail A. took part in reconnaissance of military facilities and ports. He also carried out propaganda activities for Russia," Kaminski said on Friday on Twitter, adding the man was the sixteenth person held in connection with the alleged spy network.

Poland, a key ally of Ukraine, had previously made related arrests, including a Russian ice hockey player, also held on spy charges in June.

Belarusian troops, Wagner forces hold joint exercises near Polish border

In a statement, the Polish government said the recently arrested Belarusian man came to Poland in 2021 and "maintained contacts with citizens of the Russian Federation, with whom he held meetings with in Saint Petersburg and Crimea."

"The man often changed the means of communication and was destroying traces of his criminal activities," the statement added, saying that the 39-year-old suspect pleaded "partly guilty".

Poland, a NATO member, has recently raised fresh concerns about possible provocations coming from neighbouring Belarus, which now hosts Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group.

Earlier this week Warsaw announced two Belarusian military helicopters had violated Polish airspace, which prompted Poland's decision to reinforce its eastern border.