Russia’s FSB said on Wednesday, 11 November, that it had detained two people in the Kaliningrad region whom it describes as agents of Polish special services. As of publication, the Polish side had not responded to these reports.
What the FSB claims
In an FSB statement, cited by the Interfax and Reuters agencies, the service said it had uncovered and dismantled “an agent network of Polish special services” operating in the Kaliningrad (Königsberg) region. The detainees were reportedly agents of the Military Intelligence Service and the Internal Security Agency (ABW).
According to the FSB, they gathered and passed on information about military personnel and facilities of the Russian Ministry of Defence, as well as the socio-economic situation in the region and migration and social policy. The FSB investigative department in the region opened criminal proceedings under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code, which concerns espionage.
Entry bans for more people
The FSB also said it had issued official warnings to seven more Polish citizens and three Russian citizens. Seven Poles were banned from entering Russia. The reason is said to be their contacts with Polish security services.
The Russian statements contain no personal details of those detained and no evidence supporting the charges. It is unknown whether the detainees hold only Polish citizenship. Reports of a court decision to remand them in custody come from coverage of the FSB statement.
Background: a series of detentions on both sides of the border
The FSB statement comes at a tense moment. At the end of October, the Russian border guard announced the detention of a Polish citizen who allegedly crossed the border of the region illegally. Meanwhile in Poland, ABW dismantled a group working for Russian intelligence, and on Tuesday it announced the detention of two Ukrainians suspected of espionage and sabotage on behalf of Russia.
Russian propaganda surrounding the services in the Kaliningrad area has already been the subject of our analysis: Russian propaganda and the services’ operation near Kaliningrad.
As of publication, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ABW and the Military Intelligence Service had not commented on the FSB statement.
