BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

16/07/2007

Poland intelligence station exposed in Belarus

MINSK, July 16 (Itar-Tass) -- A group of spies acting for the Polish military intelligence service was unmasked in Belarus, deputy chairman of the Belarussian State Security Committee Viktor Vegera said on the Belarussian state national television on Sunday.

"A station of five spies was exposed for the first time and unmasked fully. The station consisted of four Belarussian citizens and a Russian citizen, who are now already former servicemen," Viktor Vegera emphasized. According to him, the investigators "proved completely the espionage criminal activities" of the detainees.

The Polish station collected strategic information about a missile defense system of the Belarus-Russia Union State, and the spies were particularly interested in anti-aircraft missile systems S-300. Former officer of the Belarussian Airborne Troops Russkin headed the intelligence station. He was detained red-handed during an attempt to bring the secret information to the West. Then another three spies were detained. According to the Belarussian television, a Russian major had to surrender in the Russian Federal Security Service.

Vegera noted that thanks to timely actions of the Belarussian counterintelligence service "no damage was inflicted to the defense capacity of Belarus and Russia."

The investigation into the Polish espionage case is over, case files were submitted to the court. The defendants face terms in prison from seven to 15 years.

Source:

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=11719605&PageNum=0