WARSAW — Poland has arrested a Russian citizen suspected of being recruited by Russian intelligence to assassinate a Ukrainian-American dual national in Warsaw, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Thursday, describing the alleged operation as the first known attempt by Russia to target a U.S. citizen on NATO territory.
Tusk said Polish security services, working with U.S. intelligence agencies, prevented the planned killing before it could be carried out. The suspect was detained on Aug. 7, according to information reported by the Associated Press. A Polish court has ordered that he remain in custody for three months while the investigation proceeds.
Tusk said the suspect had allegedly been recruited by Russian intelligence and was tasked with killing a man who holds both Ukrainian and U.S. citizenship. Polish authorities have not publicly identified the intended target or provided detailed evidence supporting the alleged Russian direction of the plot.
The prime minister said the operation was stopped at the last moment by Poland’s Internal Security Agency and police. He described the case as particularly significant because the alleged target was an American citizen on the territory of a NATO member.
Polish authorities have not disclosed how they learned of the alleged plot or what evidence led them to suspect Russian intelligence involvement. The allegations have not been independently established in court.
The case comes amid heightened concern among European governments about alleged Russian intelligence operations, including sabotage, espionage and attempted attacks against people linked to Ukraine. Poland, a NATO and European Union member bordering Ukraine and Belarus, has previously detained suspects accused of working for Russian intelligence.
Polish authorities also arrested a man in June over the fatal shooting of Russian dissident artist Robert Kuzovkov, known as Semyon Skrepetsky. Officials said at the time they were investigating whether a foreign intelligence service had commissioned the killing, but no Russian role had been established.
The latest suspect remains in custody as Polish investigators continue examining the alleged assassination plot and its links to Russian intelligence, with authorities yet to announce further charges or identify the intended victim.
