Poland detains Russian citizen over plot to kill Ukrainian-American in Warsaw
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said security services arrested a Russian citizen recruited by Moscow's secret services to kill a man with Ukrainian and US citizenship in Warsaw. The attack was stopped at the last moment on August 7.
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Thursday that national security services detained a Russian citizen on August 7, alleging the man had been recruited by Russian intelligence services to carry out a killing in Warsaw. According to Tusk, the target was described as someone "inconvenient" to the Putin regime.
Tusk said the intended victim held both Ukrainian and American citizenship, though he did not disclose further details about the man's identity. He credited Poland's Internal Security Agency and police for intervening at the last minute to stop what he described as an planned execution.
The prime minister warned that the Putin regime would likely continue attempting to eliminate individuals it considers inconvenient, and that Warsaw should expect similar pressure again in the future. He also noted this marked the first known instance of an attack ordered by Russia targeting a US citizen on the soil of another NATO member state.
Pattern of incidents
Poland, a member of both NATO and the European Union positioned along the alliance's eastern flank, has repeatedly accused Moscow of sabotage since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. In June, a Russian artist known for criticizing President Vladimir Putin was shot dead in the eastern Polish town of Biala Podlaska.
Polish officials say the country's role as a hub for military and other aid heading to Ukraine has made it a target for Russian espionage and attacks. The Russian embassy in Warsaw did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest case.
Several critics of the Russian government have been attacked abroad in recent years, including in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Lithuania. Moscow has consistently denied such accusations, claiming that Western nations are fueling anti-Russian sentiment.
