Ukrainian Man Arrested in Poland Over Alleged Russian-Backed Plot

On August 20, Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) announced the arrest of a 63-year-old Ukrainian man, identified as Serhii P., in connection with an alleged assassination plot against a Ukrainian defense industry representative in Irpin, according to Wiadomosci WP. The suspect allegedly placed an improvised explosive device under the victim's car, with the intention of detonating it remotely via a mobile phone, though the device failed to explode due to a mechanism malfunction.

Following the failed attempt, Serhii P. fled to Poland, where he was subsequently arrested by ABW officers in Warsaw on August 5.

Serhii P. has been charged with attempted murder of a Ukrainian defense industry representative using explosives, as well as possession of explosives without proper authorization. A Polish court subsequently ordered the suspect to remain in pretrial detention for three months. If convicted, Serhii P. faces up to life imprisonment.

The ABW asserts that the arrest was executed in collaboration with Ukrainian partner security services, and the investigation is being conducted by the Criminal Proceedings Department of Poland's Internal Security Agency, under the supervision of the Warsaw branch of the National Prosecutor's Office's Department for Organized Crime and Corruption.

Additionally, on August 7, Polish authorities reported the arrest of a Russian citizen in Warsaw, believed to have been assigned with assassinating a US and Ukrainian citizen who were considered opponents of the Kremlin.