Polish prosecutors have charged five men — four Ukrainians and one Russian — over an alleged Russian-run plot to send explosive parcels to Britain, the U.S., Canada and other countries. The suspects are accused of acting on behalf of Russian intelligence and face life sentences if convicted. Investigators linked the operation to parcel detonations at courier depots in Britain, Germany and Poland in 2024; a sixth suspect is the subject of an extradition request from Azerbaijan.
Poland Charges Five Over Alleged Russian-Backed Parcel Bomb Plot; Faces Life Sentences
A view of the National Prosecutor's Office headquarters in Warsaw, Poland, March 27, 2025. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
WARSAW — Polish prosecutors on Friday formally charged five men in connection with an alleged Russian-run sabotage operation that they say sought to send explosive parcels to Britain, the United States, Canada and other destinations. If convicted, the defendants face life imprisonment.
The National Prosecutor's Office said the accused include four Ukrainian citizens and one Russian who are alleged to have acted "on behalf of the intelligence services of the Russian Federation." There was no immediate comment from Moscow, which has repeatedly denied involvement in sabotage campaigns since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine and says Western countries are stoking anti-Russian sentiment.
Allegations and Roles
Prosecutors say the five were charged with committing or preparing acts of sabotage targeting logistics and aviation infrastructure. According to the indictment:
- Vladyslav D. allegedly planned to prepare parcels containing hidden incendiary devices and explosives and forward them for shipment to Britain and Poland.
- Viacheslav C. is accused of planning "future sabotage activities," including sending two test packages to the United States and Canada.
- Vladyslav B. is alleged to have received, secured and transported packages on routes between Vilnius and Kaunas in Lithuania.
Prosecutors said they have submitted five bills of indictment to the court, which will now take over the case. A sixth suspect, named as Russian national Jaroslaw M., has not been formally charged in Poland; authorities said Poland is seeking his extradition from Azerbaijan.
Investigative Links and Warnings
Sources familiar with the investigation told Reuters last year that the campaign led to three parcels detonating at courier depots in Britain, Germany and Poland in 2024. Lithuania separately said last year that explosions of parcels carried by DHL were organised and supervised by Russian citizens with ties to Russian military intelligence.
A Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson said the suspects were identified and detained with cooperation from Ukrainian authorities and urged citizens to ignore "promises of easy money" from Russian intelligence. "Russian special services are attempting to recruit individuals and involve them in acts of sabotage via the internet and messaging apps, specifically Telegram," the spokesperson said.
"The accused face a sentence of life imprisonment," National Prosecutor's Office spokesperson Przemyslaw Nowak said.
The case highlights continuing concerns among European authorities about cross-border sabotage and the exploitation of logistics networks. The court will now evaluate the indictments as the judicial process moves forward.
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