Polish officials reveal arrest of alleged Russian spy

V. Korabelnikov

By IAN ALLEN | intelNews.org |
The Polish government has announced the arrest of a Russian resident of Warsaw, on charges of spying for Russia. The man, whose identity has not been released, was apparently arrested last February or March, after a six-month surveillance operation by Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW). Polish officials did not say why the arrest was kept secret for so long, but revealed that the alleged spy’s capture was known only to Poland’s president, the prime minister and the office of the prosecutor. The alleged spy is said to be a Russian citizen and a fluent Polish speaker, who has lived in Poland under permanent residency status for at least decade. His legal income appears to have come from his ownership of a hunting-rifle accessories store. But ABW agents who entered his apartment last year reportedly found signaling and encryption devices. It is worth pointing out that the alleged spy did not appear to be in contact with the Russian embassy in Warsaw. Instead, Polish media report that he was handled directly by the Russian Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directory (GRU), Russia’s largest external intelligence organization. Some intelligence observers now speculate whether the man’s arrest could have led to the surprise dismissal of GRU director General Valentin Korabelnikov, last April.