Russian Soldier Detained After Crossing Into Poland From Belarus
Polish Border Guard: "The question is whether we are dealing here with someone who was carrying out tasks for Russian (secret) services".
WARSAW - An unarmed 41-year-old Russian man wearing civilian clothing has been detained in Poland and held for questioning after he crossed over into the country from Russia's neighboring country, Belarus. The Polish border guard said that the man was a "deserter" from the Russian army.
Polish broadcaster RMF first reported the incident on Wednesday, reporting that a Russian soldier had been detained by Polish border guards in the Podlasie province in Poland.
RMF reported, "Everything indicates that he tried to illegally enter our country through Belarus, straight from the Ukrainian front".
Soon after the report surfaced, the Polish Border Guard released a statement that said, "The Border Guard confirms the detention of a deserter from Russia . He is a 41-year-old man who illegally crossed the border from Belarus to Poland. Further actions are being taken against him".
Polish Officials Questioned The Man To Find Out If He Was Sent To Spy In Europe For The Russian Secret Service
Polish Deputy Interior Minister Czeslaw Mroczek said that as part of the questioning, Polish officials were attempting to ascertain whether the man was "trying to flee the horrors of war" or whether he was sent to Europe to carry out espionage for Moscow's secret service.
“We must determine what his intentions were," Mroczek stated, adding. “The question is whether we are dealing here with someone who was carrying out tasks for Russian (secret) services.”
Although the man was wearing civilian clothing and unarmed, he had in his possession a contract indicating that he was in the Russian armed forces and had been deployed within Ukraine during Russia's ongoing invasion of the country.