poland convicts 14 foreigners for spying on russia, while preserving the original context.
Published on: December 20, 2023.
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LUBLIN: Polish Court Convicts 14 People for Espionage, Supporting Moscow
- Russian, Belarusian, and Ukrainian defendants found guilty of espionage in Poland
- Sentenced to jail terms ranging from 13 months to six years
- Accused of plotting acts of sabotage and monitoring critical infrastructure
A Polish court has handed down convictions to 14 individuals from Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine for their involvement in espionage activities in Poland. The defendants, who were charged last month, were found guilty of attempting to derail aid-carrying trains to Ukraine, monitoring critical infrastructure, and observing military facilities in Poland. The court delivered jail sentences ranging from 13 months to six years.
In the verdict announcement, Judge Jaroslaw Kowalski stated, “The court found all the defendants guilty of the crimes charged, and found some of them to be operating within an organized criminal group.” Notably, all 14 defendants were convicted in absentia as they pleaded guilty and chose to skip the trial. Two additional alleged members of the spy ring will face a separate trial after withdrawing their initial guilty pleas.
Russian Ice Hockey Player Among Those Convicted
One of the convicted individuals is a Russian player for a Polish ice hockey club, Maxim Sergeyev, who was sentenced to 2 years and 11 months. Sergeyev’s arrest in June sparked a strong protest from Moscow, demanding a comprehensive explanation.
The espionage ring also included two Ukrainian lawyers, a political scientist, a French language teacher, a pharmacy technician, and a software engineer, as reported by the Rzeczpospolita daily.
Orders Received Through Telegram, Compensation in Cryptocurrency
Investigators revealed that the spy ring members received their orders through the Telegram messaging app and were compensated with cryptocurrency, ranging from $300 to approximately $10,000, according to Polish media. Prosecutor Piotr Lopatynski highlighted the role of Telegram and cryptocurrency, describing it as a “new, perhaps hitherto unknown way of running or organizing a spy network in Poland.”
The majority of the spy ring members were apprehended in March following the discovery of hidden cameras on important railway routes and junctions. These cameras were used to record and transmit data on traffic. The convicted spies surveilled border checkpoints with Ukraine and major rail routes used for transporting weapons and humanitarian aid to the neighboring country. They were also involved in distributing propaganda handouts that incited hatred towards Ukraine.
Source: https://en.wenews.pk
