Russian National Arrested in Warsaw Over Alleged Contract Killing Plot

Capital police and internal security agents arrested a 29-year-old Russian citizen in Warsaw on August 7 for allegedly plotting a contract assassination ordered by foreign intelligence.

The Arrest in Warsaw

Officers from the Capital Police Headquarters’ Terror and Homicide Department, alongside Internal Security Agency (ABW) personnel, arrested a 29-year-old man in Warsaw on August 7 suspected of preparing a murder. Prime Minister Donald Tusk revealed that the detainee is a Russian citizen recruited by Russian services to target a man holding dual U.S. and Ukrainian citizenship.

The arrest took place on Wołoska Street during a dynamic police operation following coordinated investigative work between the Capital Police and the ABW that gathered sufficient evidence to formally charge the suspect.

Details of the Planned Assassination

Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that the potential victim was a person inconvenient to Russian authorities, though no name or specific data was disclosed. Tusk noted that authorities thwarted the planned assassination at a very late stage of preparation. Unofficial findings indicate the target was a defense industry entrepreneur supplying Ukraine.

The Prime Minister also pointed out that Polish services conducted their operations in cooperation with American counterparts, marking a joint effort to neutralize the threat.

Legal Charges and Ongoing Investigation

The suspect has been charged under Article 148a § 1 of the Penal Code in conjunction with Article 148 § 5, Article 148 § 1, and Article 11 § 2. Article 148a § 1 pertains to accepting a contract killing for material or personal gain, carrying a sentence of 2 to 15 years in prison, while Article 148 § 5 carries the same penalty for preparing a murder.

The investigation is being conducted by the Warsaw Śródmieście-Północ District Prosecutor’s Office. On August 9, the court granted the prosecutor’s motion and remanded the 29-year-old suspect in temporary custody for three months, while police withhold further details to protect the ongoing proceedings.