Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 21, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 26, 2026
Add as preferred source on Google
A Ukrainian was sentenced to 8 years in Poland for planning sabotage for Russia, amid increased hybrid warfare activities in Europe.
WARSAW (Reuters) - A Ukrainian has been found guilty of planning acts of sabotage on behalf of Russian services and sentenced to eight years in prison, a Polish court ruled on Friday.
Poland and other NATO countries have been experiencing increased sabotage, subversion and other "hybrid warfare" activity by Moscow since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago. Russia has regularly denied involvement.
Serhii S. was arrested in January last year and charged with operating in an organised criminal group aimed at committing crimes against Poland by participating in the activities of foreign intelligence and preparing to set fire to buildings in Wroclaw in southern Poland.
During the investigation and the trial, he pleaded not guilty, saying he was motivated by financial gain and had no intention of actually setting fire to factory buildings or construction stores in Wroclaw, Polish news agency PAP reported.
In September, prosecutors filed a motion to sentence him to 3 years imprisonment without trial, but the court rejected the motion, saying the punishment agreed by prosecutors and Serhii S. was too mild.
On Friday the Wroclaw District court found Serhii S. guilty. He has the right to appeal the verdict.
Western officials believe agents paid by Russia are behind a number of crimes across Europe, including break-ins and arson at factories and critical infrastructure, physical attacks and even a reported plot to assassinate the head of Germany's largest arms company.
(Reporting by Anna Koper; Editing by Giles Elgood)
Serhii S. was found guilty of planning acts of sabotage on behalf of Russian services and was sentenced to eight years in prison.
He pleaded not guilty, claiming he was motivated by financial gain and had no intention of committing sabotage.
Poland and other NATO countries have experienced increased sabotage and hybrid warfare activities by Moscow since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The court rejected a motion from prosecutors to sentence Serhii S. to three years imprisonment without trial, stating the agreed punishment was too mild.
Yes, the Wroclaw District court's ruling allows Serhii S. the right to appeal the verdict.
Explore more articles in the Headlines category
