Russian detained in Poland after photographing rail infrastructure, police say

Polish police said on Friday they had detained a 55-year-old Russian man suspected of acting for a foreign intelligence service, adding that a court had ordered him held for three months.

Officers providing security for a football match in the southern Polish town of Swidnica spotted a man near a railway crossing photographing passing trains and railway infrastructure. Police said they found thousands of photographs of key sites and transport facilities, not only in Poland, in his possession.

"The man is suspected of carrying out activities on behalf of a foreign intelligence service. All indications are that the photographs he took could have been used against the security of the state," the police said in a statement.

Poland has repeatedly accused Russia of conducting espionage and influence operations on its territory, also using foreign nationals, while Moscow has denied such actions.

The Russian embassy did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Reuters

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