Polish authorities have detained two Russian citizens who are accused of spreading "propaganda" related to the Wagner Group, the paramilitary outfit headed by Yevgeny Prigozhin, which was involved in an uprising against the Kremlin in June.
The two Russian citizens who "distributed propaganda materials of Wagner [private military companies]" in Krakow and Warsaw were detained by employees of the Polish Internal Security Agency, Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday.
There have been at least 18 arrests of suspected Russian operatives in Poland in recent months. Poland has recently voiced concerns about potential provocations from the Wagner Group, which has been based in neighboring Belarus since the end of Prigozhin's aborted June 24 mutiny.
Newsweek reached out to Russia's Foreign Ministry via email for comment.
Kaminski said the pair face charges of espionage, adding that he will provide more information on the matter later.
On Monday, Russia's state-run news agency Tass, citing the press service of Kaminski, identified the two detainees as "Aleksey T. and Andrey G."
Last week, Polish media reported that stickers had been distributed with the logo of the Wagner Group and inscriptions in English reading: "We are here — join us." The stickers reportedly contained QR codes that redirect to a Russian website about the paramilitary group.
Kaminski's announcement on X did not mention whether the detainees were arrested in connection with the reported dissemination of the stickers.
But Tass and state-run news agency RIA Novosti cited the minister's press service as saying that the two Russian citizens handed out 300 leaflets in public places in Warsaw and Krakow.
"The prosecutor charged the detainees with actions in favor of foreign intelligence against the interests of Poland, participation in an international criminal group of an armed nature, aimed at committing crimes of a terrorist nature, recruitment into a service prohibited by international law," the press service's announcement reportedly states.
Those details haven't been published on the interior ministry's website.
The detainees reportedly face up to 10 years in prison.
Some members of the Wagner Group who were involved in Prigozhin's staged armed uprising in Russia on June 24 relocated to Belarus as part of a deal brokered by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Poland responded by strengthening the protection of its border with Belarus.
Lukashenko said earlier this month that Wagner Group members are being built into Minsk's armed forces to "pass on experience" to Belarusian fighters.
Update 08/14/23, 7:43 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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