Russian National Arrested in Warsaw Over Planned Assassination of US-Ukrainian Citizen, Tusk Reveals

Polish security services arrested a Russian citizen recruited by special services to assassinate a dual US-Ukrainian citizen in Warsaw, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced.

Russian Citizen Arrested in Warsaw

Polish services detained a Russian citizen on August 7 who, according to Prime Minister Donald Tusk, was recruited by Russian special services to carry out an assassination in Warsaw. The target was a man holding both United States and Ukrainian citizenship. The prime minister assessed that the security action prevented the attack at the very last moment.

Donald Tusk revealed the details of the case during a press conference, noting that the suspect’s task was to execute a person holding American and Ukrainian citizenship. The name of the potential victim was not disclosed, and the arrested individual’s personal details were also withheld due to ongoing operational activities.

International and Interagency Cooperation

The arrest on August 7 was carried out through the cooperation of Polish services, including the Internal Security Agency (ABW) and the police. The prime minister emphasized that the operation was conducted in contact with the American side, marking an unprecedented situation of a planned assassination of a US citizen on the territory of another NATO ally.

Tusk pointed out the special dimension of the case stemming from the target’s citizenship and the location of the planned attack within the territory of a NATO member state. At the current stage, authorities have not revealed the specific charges, preventive measures, or the exact methods planned for the assassination.

Broader Context of Russian Operations in Poland

This case aligns with a series of actions by Polish services concerning Russian intelligence activity, influence operations, and acts of sabotage. In recent years, the ABW has conducted major investigations into individuals suspected of cooperating with Russian special services, ranging from critical infrastructure reconnaissance to financing disruptive operations.

Additional context includes the June 2026 murder of Russian artist and Kremlin critic Simon Skrepecki in Biała Podlaska. While prosecutors and Prime Minister Tusk noted political and potentially state-sponsored terror elements in that case, investigations across Poland continue to target sabotage, arson, and disinformation networks linked to Russian structures.