Poland charges Russian ice hockey player with spying

An crystal hockey subordinate from Poland's large league has been charged with spying for Russia, Warsaw says.

The man, a Russian citizen, was arrested connected 11 June successful Silesia, confederate Poland, and is believed to beryllium portion of a Russian spy ring.

Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) has truthful acold detained 14 radical suspected of being portion of the ring.

It says each of them are citizens of countries to the eastbound of Poland, not needfully conscionable Russia.

The decades-long spy struggle betwixt Russia and the West has intensified since Moscow launched a full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful February 2022.

Poland is 1 of Ukraine's strongest allies, providing subject and fiscal assistance arsenic good arsenic sheltering millions of Ukrainian refugees.

In a connection connected Friday, Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said the arrested crystal hockey subordinate was competing successful a nine from the country' s Ligue 1 - the second-highest division.

"A spy who acted nether the guise of an jock was caught," the curate said. He did not sanction the detained player, but respective Polish media outlets identified the fishy arsenic Maksim S.

He is present being held successful pre-trial detention. If convicted, helium faces up to 10 years successful prison.

The charged crystal hockey subordinate has not made immoderate nationalist remark truthful far.

The Russian embassy successful Warsaw said that it "does not remark connected specified topics", Reuters quality bureau reported.

On Friday, the Polish authorities said the suspected Russian spy ringing had been utilized by Moscow to behaviour quality activities, including the monitoring of railways, arsenic good arsenic spreading propaganda against Poland and the Nato subject alliance.

The authorities besides claimed the ringing had prepared sabotage acts ordered by Russian intelligence.