A court in Katowice, southern Poland, has sentenced a former Russian opposition activist and his wife to prison terms for espionage on behalf of Moscow, marking the latest in a series of warnings from Warsaw about Russian sabotage activities on Polish soil.
Igor Rogov, previously associated with the late Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's organisation and the Open Russia group backed by exiled oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, was jailed for seven years. His wife, Irina, received a three-year sentence. The couple had been living in Poland since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and have been in detention since their arrest two years ago.
Espionage and Explosives Plot
According to court documents seen by the AFP news agency, Rogov spied for Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) between February and August 2022. He gathered information on Russian opposition members and organisations that support them, passing the data via an encrypted device to his wife, who was tasked with transferring it to Russian intelligence officers.
Prosecutors also alleged that in July 2024, Rogov, along with two Ukrainians and another Russian, arranged the shipment of a parcel containing explosives through a courier company. The package was intercepted by Polish security services at a warehouse in the Łódź region before it could reach its destination.
The trial was held behind closed doors, with Warsaw citing national security concerns. Polish media reported that Rogov appeared in court holding a poster with slogans against Russian President Vladimir Putin's rule.
Poland has repeatedly warned of Russian hybrid warfare tactics, including sabotage and espionage, since the invasion of Ukraine. In a related development, Italy recently expelled two Russian diplomats over espionage, with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemning such actions as part of a broader pattern of hybrid warfare. Italy expels two Russian diplomats over espionage, Tajani condemns 'hybrid warfare'
The case underscores the ongoing tensions between European nations and Russia, particularly as NATO leaders convene in Ankara to discuss security challenges. Russian Strikes Kill Seven in Ukraine as NATO Leaders Convene in Ankara
Before his move to Poland, Rogov was based in Saransk, Russia, where he worked for Navalny's organisation from 2017. He later joined Open Russia, which has been designated as an undesirable organisation by Russian authorities. The sentencing comes amid broader European efforts to counter Russian espionage and sabotage, including the UK's recent sanctions on Russian scientists and labs over chemical weapons use. UK Sanctions Russian Scientists and Labs Over Chemical Weapons Use in Salisbury and Navalny Poisonings
European Pulse has previously reported on the EU's scaled-back visa ban for Russian combatants after objections from France and Italy, highlighting the delicate balance between security and diplomatic relations. EU Scales Back Visa Ban for Russian Combatants After French and Italian Objections
