Former ABW officer: We were blind, we are blind. Why doesn't Poland catch Russian spies?

A former officer of Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) has described the country as an "intelligence anomaly," suggesting that its counterintelligence services have remarkably avoided significant penetration by Russian intelligence agencies. This assertion comes despite recent arrests of individuals accused of espionage, including a civilian official at the Ministry of National Defense and an employee of an arms company.

The officer, speaking anonymously, contrasted Poland's situation with that of other major powers like the United States (CIA, FBI), the United Kingdom (MI6, MI5), and Germany (BND, BfV), whose intelligence services have experienced notable Russian infiltration. He posits that, mathematically, Poland should have detected between 30 and 45 Russian agents within its security services over the past 35 years, a stark difference from the current situation.

While acknowledging the recent arrests, the former officer questions the overall effectiveness of Poland's counterintelligence. He points out that prior to 1939, Polish counterintelligence apprehended hundreds of spies annually. In contrast, since the full-scale war in Ukraine began, only 82 individuals have been charged with espionage, with the details and outcomes of these investigations remaining largely unknown.

The article raises concerns about whether Poland's security services are adequately equipped to detect and neutralize modern espionage threats. Russian intelligence services, particularly the FSB, are known for their top-down infiltration tactics, aiming to gain agents at the highest levels of administration. The lack of detected "moles" within Polish services, according to the former officer, is a cause for concern, suggesting a potential blind spot that could have serious national security implications.