Poland has arrested two Ukrainian men suspected of espionage and sabotage on behalf of Russian intelligence services, the country's Internal Security Agency (ABW) said on Tuesday, 10 November 2026.

Prosecutors have charged both men with engaging in espionage for a foreign intelligence service against Poland, as well as committing acts of sabotage. If found guilty, they face between 10 years in prison and life imprisonment.

The ABW said the two men carried out tasks on behalf of Russian special services, including reconnoitring critical infrastructure and military facilities across Poland.

Vehicles set on fire, agency says

According to investigators, the men set fire to vehicles after replacing their licence plates with plates resembling those used by the Ukrainian military. The men were paid for carrying out the tasks, including in cryptocurrencies, the agency said.

The ABW said the acts of sabotage were carried out at the behest of Russian intelligence services and were intended to fuel anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Poland.

The Russian embassy in Warsaw did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Poland points to a hybrid campaign

Poland has long accused Russia and its ally Belarus of waging a hybrid campaign involving sabotage, cyberattacks and disinformation since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Russia has repeatedly denied the accusations.

Polish authorities have detained dozens of people over suspected sabotage and espionage since the invasion began, as Warsaw has become a key hub for military and humanitarian aid reaching Ukraine.

Poland shares borders with both Ukraine and Belarus and has been among Ukraine's strongest supporters since the full-scale invasion began, supplying military aid and hosting large numbers of Ukrainian refugees. Polish officials say that role has made the country a frequent target for the kind of covert activity Warsaw attributes to Moscow.

No names were released in the reports on Tuesday, and the ABW statement did not give the dates of the arrests or say where the men are being held. The two men have been charged but not convicted, and the investigation is continuing. No further details about their identities, or about when and where the alleged vehicle fires took place, were released in the ABW statement reported on Tuesday.

The arrests come at a time of heightened security across Poland. The country is hosting the first large-scale exercise by the Coalition of the Willing in Nowa Deba, near the Ukrainian border, and Warsaw is preparing for Independence Day events on Wednesday, 11 November, under a nationwide BRAVO alert level.

Sources: Reuters and Devdiscourse.