Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on October 13, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
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Poland has charged a Russian couple with espionage for Moscow, including a plot to send a parcel bomb. European authorities are on high alert.
WARSAW (Reuters) -Polish prosecutors have charged two Russian citizens with spying for Russian intelligence and one of them for plotting to send a parcel of explosives, prosecutors said on Monday.
European authorities have been on high alert for explosive packages since a series of explosions in courier depots in Britain, Germany and near the Polish capital Warsaw in July 2024. Western officials blamed those incidents on Russia.
Moscow denies such accusations.
One of the Russians, referred to as Igor R. under Polish privacy laws, was charged with participating in a plot to send a parcel bomb via courier, for which a Ukrainian citizen was also charged earlier this year.
"The parcel contained explosive devices and materials in the form of nitroglycerine, as well as hidden military-grade electric detonators and initiating devices... The entire package constituted a so-called shaped charge bomb," prosecutors said.
Igor R. and his wife Irina were also charged with providing Russian intelligence with information on Russian opposition activists residing in Poland, as well as individuals and institutions providing assistance to them.
(Reporting by Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk and Marek Strzelecki; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
A bomb plot refers to a plan or scheme to use explosives to cause destruction or harm, often associated with criminal or terrorist activities.
Financial crime encompasses a range of illegal activities that involve the manipulation of financial systems or assets, including fraud, money laundering, and embezzlement.
Cybersecurity involves protecting computer systems and networks from theft, damage, or unauthorized access, ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of data.
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