On August 14, 2026, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that on August 7, Polish security forces arrested a Russian national recruited by Russian intelligence agencies. The suspect is accused of attempting to assassinate a Ukrainian-American citizen believed to pose a threat to Russian President Putin’s regime in the capital city of Warsaw.
According to reports from Reuters and the Associated Press, Tusk stated that this is the first instance of someone being directed by Russia to attack an American citizen on the territory of a NATO member country. Poland’s Coordinator of Special Services, Tomasz Siemoniak, also confirmed that the operation was carried out in cooperation with American intelligence agencies.
During a press conference, Tusk said, “Thanks to the excellent actions of our various departments… we have apprehended a Russian citizen employed by Russian intelligence agencies.” He emphasized, “At the final moment, we successfully prevented this assassination attempt.”
The authorities have not yet publicly disclosed the specific identity of the victim, only revealing that he holds both Ukrainian and American passports.
Tusk pointed out that the international community must recognize the threat posed by Putin’s regime in attempting to eliminate dissenters. Poland also highlighted that as a key hub for sending military aid to Ukraine, Poland has long been a target for Russian espionage and subversive activities.
As of the time of writing, the Russian Foreign Ministry has not responded to requests for comment on this incident.
Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, around 200 incidents involving arson, destruction, and disruptions related to Russia have been recorded across Europe. In recent years, multiple countries have also uncovered several assassination attempts targeting dissenters and Ukrainian supporters.
Poland:
In June of this year, Russian artist Semyon Skrepetsky, who has long criticized Putin’s regime, was shot dead near his residence in eastern Poland. In 2024, Polish authorities also arrested a man suspected of being involved in a plot to assassinate Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Germany:
The German security forces have uncovered two assassination plots targeting a senior executive of a German defense company providing weapons to Ukraine and a Ukrainian military officer.
France and Lithuania:
French authorities prevented an assassination attempt against exiled person Vladimir Osechkin last year, and Lithuania foiled a plot to assassinate Ukrainian supporters and Russian activists.
In response to this series of events, a senior European intelligence official previously told the Associated Press, “These actions are not random or coincidental but are politically authorized.”
In the face of accusations from multiple European countries, Moscow authorities typically deny them and instead accuse the West of inciting anti-Russian sentiments.