The Russian citizen, identified only as Dmitry K., has been expelled at the request of the head of Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW), said the spokesman for Poland’s Special Services Coordinator in a statement.
The spokesman elaborated that “ABW has found that the Russian national had been conducting an activity aimed at jeopardizing the interests of the Polish State, initiating hostile hybrid activities and maintaining contacts with special services of the Russian Federation.”
The statement also said that Dmitry K., who “in formal terms … exercised his function as the representative of the Moscow-based Russian Institute for Strategic Studies (RISS)” used “his cover of a researcher and scientist from the Institute” to infiltrate “circles including historians, and journalists.”
His task was to “identify individuals with a pro-Russian stance and talk them into cooperation,” according to the statement.
Dmitry K. offered participation "in programmes of Russian universities, financing of scientific works and study trips,” the spokesman said. “Those who entered into cooperation with Dmitry [K.] were then instructed what to say in order to push pro-Russian narratives.”
According to the statement, the expelled Russian used his network of contacts in Poland to spread pro-Kremlin propaganda.
The statement went on that the ABW "has found that... Dmitry undertook a wide range of initiatives in order to jeopardize the interests of the Polish State. These included initiating pro-Russian information campaigns in Poland, pushing narratives aimed at exacerbating animosities between Poland and Ukraine, stimulating actions against dismantling Soviet monuments, inducing... attempts to discredit Polish authorities both in domestic and international media. In the last year, the group of individuals recruited by Dmitry has increased considerably.
“ABW has also found that Dmitry maintained contacts with Russian special services...
"The analysis of his activities has shown that his actions in Poland match the ones undertaken by Russian spies to target Polish interests.”
The spokesman added that the analysis of material collected by ABW has shown that Dmitry K.’s presence in Poland posed a threat to national security.
“There is zero tolerance for his cooperation with a hostile state,” the spokesman concluded. “Given the above, the Head of ABW requested that Dmitry be expelled from the country. As a result, Dmitry’s stay permit was revoked and the expulsion took place.” (gs/pk)