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Poland expels 11 over Russia-funded scheme to pay Ukrainian refugees to protest against Kyiv

ABW and border guards detained nine Ukrainians and two Belarusians in five Polish cities and expelled all 11 within hours; since autumn 2025, Russian money had funded a network that recruited refugees to attend anti-Zelensky demonstrations

Conflicts·Migration· active What They're Not Saying·The Quiet Shift ·5 takes · ·rbtfl upd Jul 1, 2026
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The split

The same story, as told by newsrooms in different countries. Their words, attributed and linked.

Poland

Notes From Poland

“The aim was to 'stoke tensions' and 'break down social trust,' according to the ABW. Russia's foreign military intelligence agency has been tasked with the operation, Ukraine's Centre for Countering Disinformation says.”

English-language digest of Polish domestic news; first comprehensive English account with full ABW statement and ministerial commentaryread the original ↗

Ukraine

Kyiv Independent

“The ABW said that the operation was another example of how Moscow uses 'actions below the threshold of classic aggression' intended to 'break down social trust, stoke tensions, and use people fleeing war as tools of Russian influence operations.'”

Ukrainian national English-language outlet; framed the expulsions as proof that Moscow treats displaced Ukrainians across NATO territory as instruments of covert political warread the original ↗

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Summary

ABW and border guards detained nine Ukrainian and two Belarusian nationals in Warsaw, Wroclaw, Krakow, Zakopane and Bydgoszcz on Monday and expelled all 11, dismantling a Russia-backed influence operation. Since autumn 2025, the network had recruited and paid Ukrainian refugees in Poland to attend anti-Kyiv demonstrations, using corruption scandals and domestic Ukrainian political tensions as bait. Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak confirmed funding came from Russia; Ukraine's Centre for Countering Disinformation linked direction to the GRU, Russia's foreign military intelligence agency.

Why it matters

Warsaw's operation confirms Moscow is turning war-displaced Ukrainians inside a NATO member state into instruments of covert political disruption. Poland hosts roughly 900,000 Ukrainian refugees, the largest such population in Europe, and is a high-priority target for Russian hybrid operations.

The briefing, by email