The Polish Internal Security Agency (ABW) announced the arrest in Warsaw of 63-year-old Ukrainian citizen Sergey P., who, according to the investigation, acted on behalf of Russian intelligence services and prepared an assassination of an official in the Ukrainian defense industry. According to law enforcement, the incident was supposed to take place in Irpin, Kyiv region, but the attempt failed due to a technical malfunction of a homemade explosive device. The arrest took place on August 5, 2026, and was the result of operational cooperation between Polish and Ukrainian special services.
Course of the case: homemade device and failed explosion
According to the investigation materials, the suspect placed a homemade explosive device under the car of a representative of the Ukrainian arms industry. The mechanism was designed for remote detonation using a mobile phone, which allowed the perpetrator to remain safe at the moment of activation. However, the explosion did not occur: the investigation points to a malfunction of the device mechanism. It is this technical failure, according to law enforcement, that saved the life of the potential victim and subsequently allowed the perpetrator to be identified.
Escape to Poland and arrest by ABW
After the failed assassination attempt, Sergey P. left Ukrainian territory and moved to Poland, where, it is believed, he hoped to evade the investigation. ABW officers established his whereabouts and arrested the man in Warsaw on August 5, 2026. Official statements emphasize that the operation was made possible thanks to the cooperation of Polish law enforcement agencies with partner services in Ukraine, indicating the exchange of operational information between the countries within the framework of joint counteraction to sabotage activities.
Charges and possible punishment
The suspect has been charged with attempted murder of a representative of the Ukrainian defense industry using explosives, as well as illegal possession of explosive materials. The court selected a preventive measure in the form of detention for a period of three months for Sergey P. In accordance with current Polish legislation, he faces punishment of up to life imprisonment, which makes this case one of the most resonant in the field of combating sabotage and explosive activities on the territory of the EU.
Context: a series of revelations of RF agent networks in Europe
This arrest fits into a broader context: Polish special services in recent months have regularly uncovered agent networks linked to Russian special services preparing sabotage and assassinations on the territory of the European Union. Previously, a Russian agent planning to kill a US citizen of Ukrainian origin on the orders of Russian special services was arrested in Warsaw, who, according to law enforcement, turned out to be "inconvenient" for the Kremlin. A separate episode concerned a hired killer from the Donbas preparing an assassination of a famous blogger and rapper Kievstoner; behind this crime, according to the investigation, stood the Russian FSB, which accused the artist of preparing strikes on Moscow. The combination of these cases indicates the systemic nature of the threat and the growing role of Polish security agencies in neutralizing such risks.
