Poland assisted in the release of political prisoners held by Russia and Belarus by releasing a Russian spy detained in 2022, Polish officials said.
The prisoners released by the Kremlin included Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, both of whom had been imprisoned in Russia under charges of espionage. Other prisoners released by Russia included Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian human right activist, and Alsu Kulmasheva, a Prague-based Russian journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Commenting on the operation of exchanging prisoners, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X:
“The operation of exchanging prisoners allowed for the release from Russia of the heroes of Russian opposition and NATO states’ citizens held in Russia. This operation was possible thanks to the involvement of our country. My thanks to the President [Andrzej Duda] and the services for their model cooperation,” the head of government wrote.
Jacek Dobrzyński, a spokesperson for both the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Minister Coordinator for Special Services, said in a post on X that Warsaw had accepted a request made by the U.S. to participate in the prisoner swap by releasing a Russian GRU military intelligence officer detained in Poland.
“Based on the close Polish-U.S. relationship, allied cooperation, and shared interests in the field of security, as well as the same understanding of democratic values, the authorities of the Republic of Poland—the President, the Prime Minister and the Government—accepted the request of the U.S. authorities to, in following with the provisions of Polish law, include in the exchange of individuals detained in Russian as well as Belarus and [those detained] in NATO countries, [the person of] Pavel Rubtsov, an officer of the GRU, carrying out espionage activities on the territory of Europe and awaiting a criminal trial,” reads the statement published by Dobrzyński.
Rubtsov was detained by Polish law enforcement services on the Polish-Ukrainian border on February 27, 2022.
He claimed to be a Spanish journalist and used the name Pablo González. He was said to be using the status of a journalist to gather information on Ukraine for Russian special services and to gain the trust of Russian oppositionists.
Dobrzyński added that the operation resulted in the exchange of Russian spies and operatives for a group of unjustly detained, charged and sentenced Western citizens and Russian human rights advocates and defenders of democracy.
Commenting on the operation of exchanging prisoners, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X:
“The operation of exchanging prisoners allowed for the release from Russia of the heroes of Russian opposition and NATO states’ citizens held in Russia. This operation was possible thanks to the involvement of our country. My thanks to the President [Andrzej Duda] and the services for their model cooperation,” the head of government wrote.
Właśnie zakończyła się operacja wymiany więźniów, dzięki której Rosję opuścili bohaterowie rosyjskiej opozycji oraz obywatele państw NATO, przetrzymywani w Rosji. Akcja była możliwa dzięki zaangażowaniu naszego państwa. Dziękuję Prezydentowi i służbom za wzorową współpracę.
— Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) August 1, 2024
Polish contribution
Jacek Dobrzyński, a spokesperson for both the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Minister Coordinator for Special Services, said in a post on X that Warsaw had accepted a request made by the U.S. to participate in the prisoner swap by releasing a Russian GRU military intelligence officer detained in Poland.
“Based on the close Polish-U.S. relationship, allied cooperation, and shared interests in the field of security, as well as the same understanding of democratic values, the authorities of the Republic of Poland—the President, the Prime Minister and the Government—accepted the request of the U.S. authorities to, in following with the provisions of Polish law, include in the exchange of individuals detained in Russian as well as Belarus and [those detained] in NATO countries, [the person of] Pavel Rubtsov, an officer of the GRU, carrying out espionage activities on the territory of Europe and awaiting a criminal trial,” reads the statement published by Dobrzyński.
Rubtsov was detained by Polish law enforcement services on the Polish-Ukrainian border on February 27, 2022.
He claimed to be a Spanish journalist and used the name Pablo González. He was said to be using the status of a journalist to gather information on Ukraine for Russian special services and to gain the trust of Russian oppositionists.
Dobrzyński added that the operation resulted in the exchange of Russian spies and operatives for a group of unjustly detained, charged and sentenced Western citizens and Russian human rights advocates and defenders of democracy.
He also said that: “It is with satisfaction that we have received the U.S. authorities’ declaration of cooperation in combating Russia and Belarus’ hybrid aggression against Poland, including the threat of diversionary activities.”
Turkish intelligence has coordinated a major prisoner exchange of 26 individuals from prisons in seven different countries, including Poland, the Turkish president’s communications department reported on Thursday.
“Our organization has undertaken a major mediation role in this exchange operation, which is the most comprehensive of the recent period,” the National Intelligence Agency (MIT) said in a statement.
The other countries included the United States, Germany, Slovenia, Norway, Russia and Belarus, according to Ankara.
Turkish-brokered deal
Turkish intelligence has coordinated a major prisoner exchange of 26 individuals from prisons in seven different countries, including Poland, the Turkish president’s communications department reported on Thursday.
“Our organization has undertaken a major mediation role in this exchange operation, which is the most comprehensive of the recent period,” the National Intelligence Agency (MIT) said in a statement.
The other countries included the United States, Germany, Slovenia, Norway, Russia and Belarus, according to Ankara.
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