Poland: Russian man arrested for planning an assassination in Warsaw

A Russian citizen recruited by Moscow's special services was arrested on August 7 in Warsaw, where he was planning the assassination of a Ukrainian-American citizen. Prime Minister Donald Tusk praised the operation, calling it a "very dangerous" signal.

It was Donald Tusk himself who made the case public on Thursday, August 13. The Polish Prime Minister announced the arrest, six days earlier, of a Russian citizen suspected of having planned a murder in the Polish capital on direct orders from Moscow. The target: a citizen with dual Ukrainian and American citizenship whose identity remains secret for security reasons.

“At the last moment, thanks to the actions of the ABW and the police, we managed to prevent this execution, this attack,” Tusk said, praising the “excellent work” of the Polish domestic services. He also emphasized the cooperation of American institutions in carrying out the operation.

The head of government emphasized the unprecedented nature of the situation: "This is the first time that someone, on Russian orders, has decided to commit an attack against an American citizen on the territory of another NATO country." This wording places the affair in a strategic dimension that transcends purely Polish concerns.

The coordinator of the special services, Tomasz Siemoniak, confirmed the facts on social media. "On August 7 of this year, the ABW, in cooperation with the police, arrested a Russian citizen who, on the orders of a foreign service, was preparing the assassination of an American citizen of Ukrainian origin," he wrote, specifying that "the operation was carried out in cooperation with the American services."

Regarding the target's identity, Tusk only indicated that it was perceived as a threat by Moscow authorities, without elaborating further. Poland, he warned, should expect further attempts by the Russian regime against individuals deemed undesirable, whether on its soil or elsewhere. "Our action will be extremely intensive in order to prevent any further attempts targeting Polish citizens or citizens of other countries on our territory," he concluded.