Support The Moscow Times!

Poland Detains Russian Hockey Player Suspected of Spying for Moscow

Employees of Poland's Internal Security Agency. ABW

Poland said Friday it arrested a Russian ice hockey player on suspicion of having spied for Moscow while playing for a Polish club, prompting Russia to protest and demand an "immediate" explanation. 

Relations between Warsaw and Moscow have been hostile historically but have reached new lows during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with Poland being one of Kyiv's staunchest allies. 

Warsaw said the man was the fourteenth person arrested in what it called a spy ring taking orders from Moscow. 

"All of them were identified as foreigners from beyond the eastern border of the Republic of Poland," Warsaw's ABW secret services said, without clarifying if all of the suspects were Russian citizens. 

"The entire group was used by the Russians to conduct intelligence activities, including monitoring railway routes, as well as spreading propaganda against NATO, Poland and the policies of the Polish government," it added. 

"The suspects were also preparing sabotage acts on behalf of Russian intelligence."

Poland did not name the arrested man, saying only that he is a "professional athlete from a first-division hockey club."

It said he was arrested on June 11 in the southern Silesian region and had lived in Poland since 2021.

Russian state media identified the man as Maxim Sergeyev, who played for Zaglebie Sosnowiec in the southwestern Polish city of Sosnowiec.

The website of Polish hockey teams listed Sergeyev as being 20 years old and from Reutov, a town outside Moscow. 

Polish authorities said they had charged the man with espionage and that he will remain in custody for three months.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said it had expressed a "strong protest" to Poland. 

"We demand that the Russian side be immediately provided with comprehensive explanation."

It added that the arrested Russian national will be provided with "all the necessary help."

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more