Warsaw, Nov 11 (IANS): Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said Wednesday it has dismantled a Polish intelligence network in the Kaliningrad region, a Russian enclave on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea, which was collecting information on military facilities. The operation led to the detention of two Polish intelligence agents gathering and passing on data about Russian troops, military sites, the socio-economic situation and migration policy in the Kaliningrad region, the FSB said in a statement. Seven other Polish nationals and three Russian citizens in contact with Polish intelligence services were formally warned against engaging in activities that could be classified as high treason or espionage, it said.
Polish Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maciej Wewior said the reports released by the FSB “are being verified,” calling for caution regarding statements by the Russian side, Xinhua news agency reported. “Russia has an obligation under a bilateral agreement to formally notify us of the detention of Polish citizens, if the reports are true,” Wewior told Polish news outlet Interia. Late September, Russia issued a warning over NATO’s military activities in the Baltic region, saying it is prepared to use all means at its disposal, including nuclear weapons, to defend its territory if NATO attempts to blockade Russia’s Kaliningrad region. Russian embassies in Britain, Belgium and Ireland posted warnings concerning the Kaliningrad region on their Telegram accounts, saying that Russia would use its “entire arsenal” to defend its territory if NATO countries attempted to “blockade” the region.
Posts by the Russian embassies in Britain and Ireland explicitly said that this could include the use of nuclear weapons. Kaliningrad region, a Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea, is separated from the Russian mainland and lies between NATO members Poland and Lithuania. It is a strategically important military outpost for Russia, hosting air defense systems, missiles and naval forces. The accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO has further changed Russia’s strategic environment in the Baltic region. Russia has accused NATO of rehearsing scenarios this year aimed at blockading the Kaliningrad region. –
