Poland Detains 11 Ukrainians and Belarusians Accused of Recruiting Refugees for Russian Cash

Ukrainians and Belarusians Arrested in Poland

According to Укрінформ — Мігранти: Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW), working alongside the country’s Border Guard, has detained nine Ukrainian citizens and two Belarusian nationals for immediate expulsion from Polish territory. The individuals were orchestrating Russian influence operations within Poland, funded directly from Russia. Since autumn 2025, they had been recruiting and paying participants for demonstrations targeting Ukrainian refugees. Polish authorities classify these activities as an attempt to manipulate and exert control over Ukrainian migrants living in the country.

Charges Filed and Escalating Threats

Separately, Polish prosecutors have charged two Ukrainian men-39-year-old Oleksandr K. and 41-year-old Yevhenii I.-with acts of sabotage on railway infrastructure in Poland last November. According to an ABW spokesperson, ‘the coordination and funding of these actions originated from Russia.’

“These events highlight an escalation in Russia’s hybrid warfare, which, as politician Donald Tusk stated, has 'crossed a critical threshold and entered a new phase of hybrid warfare aimed at destabilizing the country.'”

The arrests of Ukrainian and Belarusian citizens in Poland underscore the growing threat posed by Russian influence operations in neighboring countries, especially amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The activities carried out by those detained could have serious implications for the safety of Ukrainian refugees seeking shelter from war in Poland. This incident may lead to tighter oversight of migration processes and enhanced security measures throughout the region.

The recent arrests in Poland illustrate a broader trend of increasing scrutiny on migrants from Ukraine and Belarus. This situation echoes the case of a Ukrainian man who faced deportation and a six-year ban from the Schengen Zone due to violations of immigration laws. Such actions reflect a tightening of policies aimed at managing the influx of refugees and ensuring national security. For further insights into the challenges faced by Ukrainian migrants in Poland, see more about the deportation of a Ukrainian citizen.