Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into suspected activities by Russian intelligence that allegedly involved sending consignments containing explosive and incendiary materials towards Ukraine.
The case became public on 21 October 2025 after Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the Internal Security Agency (ABW), working with other services, had detained eight people in recent days on suspicion of preparing acts of sabotage.
According to an official communiqué from the National Prosecutor’s Office, investigators believe that, up to 16 October 2025, individuals “acting on behalf of Russian special services” prepared sabotage actions consisting of dispatching to Ukraine parcels designed to self-ignite or explode during transport. The stated aim was to intimidate civilians and destabilise European Union member states supporting Ukraine. The parcels were intercepted in Romania before any ignition or detonation occurred.
Polish media first reported that a Ukrainian citizen, identified as Danylo (Danylo/Danyl) H., was detained in Poland as part of the inquiry, while two other Ukrainian nationals allegedly linked to the same scheme were detained in Romania. The Polish suspect has been remanded in custody for three months by the Warsaw District Court; a Romanian court ordered 30 days’ pre-trial detention for the two detained there. Prosecutors state that Danylo H. acted with others on assignments received from Russian services.
The ABW has said the detention in Poland on 16 October was the result of a joint operation with Romania’s domestic intelligence service, SRI, in response to what Polish authorities describe as aggressive activity by Russian services. The ABW statement names the suspect, age 21, and says he conducted intelligence activity in both Poland and Romania. Polish outlets have also reported that he had been living near Warsaw.
The Prosecutor’s Office has indicated that the case falls under provisions of the Polish Criminal Code concerning participation in the activities of a foreign intelligence service and the preparation of sabotage with a terrorist character. While the authorities have not disclosed how many parcels were prepared or the precise routing, they have emphasised the cross-border nature of the alleged operation and the interception of the consignments on Romanian territory.
Officials have placed the arrests within a broader pattern of recent counter-sabotage activity. Tusk stated on 21 October that eight people had been detained in recent days on suspicion of preparing acts of diversion in various parts of the country. Separately, the spokesperson to the coordinator of Poland’s special services, Jacek Dobrzyński, said that, in recent months, ABW has detained a total of 55 individuals alleged to have acted to Poland’s detriment on behalf of Russian intelligence.
There are parallels between the Polish–Romanian investigation and other cases in Europe since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, including attempts to use mailed devices or consignments to cause arson or explosions en route to Ukraine.
In Poland, the proceedings remain at a preliminary stage. Prosecutors have released limited personal information consistent with Polish practice of identifying suspects by initial and age. The ABW has urged the public and logistics operators to report irregularities, while emphasising that no injuries or damage occurred in the present case due to the interception of the parcels in Romania. Courts in both countries have imposed initial custody orders pending further investigative actions.
Poland has reported several espionage and sabotage-related probes in recent months, with prosecutors and security services citing cooperation with EU and NATO partners. While the authorities have underlined the alleged role of Russian services in directing low-level agents or facilitators, they have also stressed due process for the suspects. No trial dates have been announced.
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