Strings to Strasbourg?

Poland now investigating Russian espionage

How far do the FSB's feelers (here the headquarters in Moscow) reach into Western institutions? In Poland, people are currently particularly alarmed about this.(Bild: APA/AFP/Natalia KOLESNIKOVA)

The suspicion of Russian espionage in Poland is growing. After the Polish Eurocorps general had to resign on Wednesday, investigations into a Russian espionage network have now come to light.

The Polish counterintelligence service ABW announced a corresponding operation on Thursday. A spokesperson for the Polish service told the online service X that the activities of the Russian network were directed against countries and institutions of the European Union. The operation was carried out jointly with services from other countries, including the Czech Republic.

Connection with recalled general?
It was only on Wednesday that Poland surprised everyone with the sudden dismissal of the commander of the Eurocorps in Strasbourg. Lieutenant General Jaroslaw Gromadzinski was ordered to return to his home country with immediate effect. Details of the investigation are not yet known.

Jaroslaw Gromadzinski had been recalled due to counter-espionage investigations against him.(Bild: Wikimedia Commons/Janusz Mazurek/CC BY-SA 4.0)

Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz explained that the allies had been informed of the dismissal with "reasonable advance notice". "This is not an accusation against anyone when you carry out such a procedure, but the step of dismissal is necessary." The task now is to clarify the matter before a final decision can be made - in future, General Piotr Blazeusz will lead the corps.

Czech Republic exposes propaganda network
On Wednesday, the government in Prague announced that the Czech secret service had uncovered a propaganda network financed by Moscow. The network had used the news website "Voice of Europe" to create a mood in the European Union against supporting Ukraine in the war against Russia.

"Serious impact on security"
As the Czech head of government Petr Fiala explained, the Czech Security Information Service (BIS) found that the pro-Russian network was carrying out activities that had a "serious impact on the security of the Czech Republic and the EU".

The group had been agitating "against the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine" on EU territory, Fiala told reporters. The group's activities had also reached as far as the European Parliament, Fiala said, without giving further details.