Poland Arrests Russian Suspect Plotting Murder of Ukrainian‑American in Warsaw, Tusk Announces

Poland’s Prime Minister announced on Thursday that security services had arrested a Russian national allegedly recruited by Russian intelligence to assassinate a Ukrainian‑American individual in Warsaw.

The suspect was taken into custody on August 7, after authorities said he had been hired to eliminate a person deemed “inconvenient to the Putin regime,” Tusk told reporters.

The Russian had been hired to kill a man who had both Ukrainian and US passports, Tusk said, without giving any more information on his identity.

“At the last minute, thanks to the work of the Internal Security Agency and the police, we succeeded in averting what would have been an execution and an attack,” the prime minister stated.

“We must recognize that the Putin regime may seek to eliminate individuals it deems inconvenient for various reasons,” Tusk said.

He added that Warsaw will probably face similar pressure in the future.

As a NATO and EU member on the alliance’s eastern flank, Poland has repeatedly accused Russia of sabotage since the full‑scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Tusk further noted that this marked the first instance in which “an individual acting on behalf of Russia” attempted to target an American citizen on the soil of another NATO member state.

In June, a Russian artist critical of President Vladimir Putin was shot dead in the eastern Polish town of Białystok, prosecutors reported. Polish officials say their role as a hub for military and other supplies to neighboring Ukraine has made the country a target for Russian espionage and attacks.

The Russian embassy in Warsaw did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Numerous opponents of the Russian authorities have been targeted abroad, including in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Lithuania.

Moscow has repeatedly dismissed European accusations of such attacks, claiming the West is fueling anti‑Russian paranoia.

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