Poland expels Ukrainians and Belarusians amid Russia-linked protest funding claims

What happened

The Kyiv Independent reports that Polish authorities detained nine Ukrainian citizens and two Belarusians accused of recruiting Ukrainians to participate in paid pro-Russian demonstrations across several Polish cities, including Warsaw and Krakow. Tomasz Siemoniak, Poland's minister overseeing intelligence agencies, said the group has paid Ukrainian refugees since autumn 2025, allegedly with Russian funds, to organize these protests aiming to influence Ukrainian migrants.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) and Border Guard identified and detained the suspects in cities including Wroclaw, Zakopane and Bydgoszcz, eventually expelling them from Poland, according to a spokesperson for the minister. The authorities attribute the funding source to Russia, consistent with past accusations against Russian intelligence services of recruiting Ukrainian nationals for covert operations in Europe.

The case fits a pattern observed by Polish officials, with previous detentions of Ukrainians suspected of espionage or sabotage linked to Moscow. The ongoing use of Ukrainian refugees as a target group for influence operations could complicate security dynamics within Poland, a frontline state deeply involved in supporting Ukraine amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Known from the source

• Nine Ukrainians and two Belarusians were detained by Polish authorities.
• Detentions took place in multiple Polish cities including Warsaw, Wroclaw, Krakow, Zakopane, and Bydgoszcz.
• The detainees were suspected of recruiting Ukrainians for paid pro-Russian protests.
• Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) and Border Guard conducted the arrests.
• The group allegedly targeted Ukrainian refugees in Poland since autumn 2025.

What remains unclear

While these claims come from Polish official sources reported by the Kyiv Independent, independent verification of the funding details and operational links to Russian security services remains pending. The expulsions reflect Warsaw’s effort to disrupt perceived covert influence operations affecting the Ukrainian diaspora and refugee population in Poland.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Verification of the alleged Russian funding sources for the paid protests. Independent confirmation of details about the individuals detained and expelled. Confirmation of the recruitment methods and scale of pro-Russian demonstrations involving Ukrainian refugees.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: Kyiv Independent. Open the source.