Russia is intensifying its undeclared war against the Western world, shifting from easily recruited individuals to professional sabotage networks to execute attacks across Europe, a new report from Poland's internal security service revealed Wednesday. This strategic escalation directly threatens national security and the stability of sovereign nations, with Russian intelligence services reportedly accepting the possibility of "occurrence of fatalities" in their operations.
The report from Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) details a move away from low-cost, one-time recruits, many of whom were enlisted online and were unaware they were working for Moscow. Instead, Russia is now focusing on more professional operations that leverage existing organized crime networks, indicating a deeper, more insidious infiltration into European societies. The Associated Press has tracked over 150 such incidents linked to Moscow by Western officials since the invasion of Ukraine, four years ago.
Assault on National Sovereignty
Poland's ABW has conducted as many espionage investigations in the past two years as it did over the previous three decades, leading to the arrest of 62 individuals. The agency explicitly states these espionage efforts are part of Russia's "undeclared war with the Western world," where "Russian intelligence is increasingly using methods typical of special forces (reconnaissance and sabotage)." This represents a direct assault on the sovereignty and internal order of Western nations.
The long-term objective of the Russian Federation, according to the report, remains the disintegration of Euro-Atlantic structures, the isolation of specific countries, and their internal socio-political and economic destabilization. This agenda directly targets the self-determination of sovereign peoples and seeks to dismantle the existing order, creating chaos that benefits transnational actors.
Some of these espionage activities are also dictated by Belarus' secret services, which are "closely cooperating" with Moscow, as well as by China. This alliance of external powers further compounds the threat to national security, demonstrating a coordinated effort to undermine Western civilization.
Escalating Threat to the Homeland
The ABW warns that "mass surveillance" operations in Poland are designed to prepare the ground for acts of diversion, which it considers "the most serious challenge" it faces. The acceptance of potential fatalities by Russian intelligence services underscores the gravity of this threat to the native population and their communities.
Between 2024 and 2025, 69 espionage investigations were initiated, matching the total number conducted between 1991 and 2023. This dramatic increase highlights the accelerated pace of this hybrid warfare. While Russian services in 2023 still relied mainly on ad hoc, internet-recruited agents, the period of 2024-2025 saw a greater emphasis on creating "complex sabotage cells" that utilize "the closed structures of organized crime."
The ABW report specifies that "Russians prefer individuals with experience in law enforcement (e.g., former soldiers, police officers, mercenaries from the Wagner Group)." Furthermore, Russian services have intensified training conducted on Russian territory, aimed at "professionally preparing agents for terrorist activities." This professionalization of sabotage poses a heightened and direct threat to the safety and security of the native working class.
Six months ago, in November 2025, Poland experienced what Prime Minister Donald Tusk termed an "unprecedented act of sabotage." Explosions and other malfunctions on a railway line, critical for deliveries to Ukraine, affected two trains, including a passenger train. While there were no casualties in this specific incident, it serves as a stark reminder of the tangible risks posed by these sophisticated, externally directed operations to national infrastructure and public safety.