Poland charges Russian ice hockey player with spying

An ice hockey player from Poland's major league has been charged with spying for Russia, Warsaw says.

The man, a Russian citizen, was arrested on 11 June in Silesia, southern Poland, and is believed to be part of a Russian spy ring.

Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) has so far detained 14 people suspected of being part of the group.

It says all of them are citizens of countries to the east of Poland, not necessarily just Russia.

The decades-long spy conflict between Russia and the West has intensified since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Poland is one of Ukraine's strongest allies, providing military and financial help as well as sheltering millions of Ukrainian refugees.

• Russian spy group arrested in Poland - officials

In a statement on Friday, Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said the arrested ice hockey player was competing in a club from the country' s Ligue 1 - the second-highest division.

"A spy who acted under the guise of an athlete was caught," the minister said. He did not name the detained player, but several Polish media outlets identified the suspect as Maksim S.

He is now being held in pre-trial detention. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.

The charged ice hockey player has not made any public comment so far.

The Russian foreign ministry protested to Poland over the detention of the player. "We demand that the Russian side be immediately provided with comprehensive explanations," ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova was quoted as saying by Russia's state-run Interfax news agency.

On Friday, the Polish authorities said the suspected Russian spy ring had been used by Moscow to conduct intelligence activities, including the monitoring of railways, as well as spreading propaganda against Poland and the Nato military alliance.

The authorities also claimed the ring had prepared sabotage acts ordered by Russian intelligence.