The head of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, Mariusz Kamiński, indicated on TVP Info on a Saturday broadcast that a meeting of interior ministers from the Baltic States is planned soon. The discussions will focus on the operations and implications of the Wagner group.
During his appearance on the TVP Info program titled “In the Full Light,” Kamiński was asked about the Wagner Group and provided his assessment of the security situation surrounding the organization.
A Serious Security Challenge
According to Kamiński, the Wagner group, which had been operating in Belarus, represents a grave threat to Poland and to neighboring Belarusian states, including the Baltic region, as well as to the Belarusian population itself.
He announced that, at his initiative, a Baltic States interior ministers’ meeting would take place in Warsaw. The aim is to publicly outline the tough measures that will be taken in response to provocations from the Belarusian and Russian authorities and the Wagner group, and to present a united stance to the public in all participating countries.
The minister emphasized that this is a mercenary force involved in brutal fighting and killings in Ukraine. A significant portion of the group was recruited from Russian prisons in exchange for release to go to the front and fight against Ukrainians.
He underscored that the Wagner faction is known for its demoralization and danger, and that several thousand members will not be merely instructors, as some may portray them, but will actively conduct operations in various theaters.
Kamiński also spoke about the arrest of two Russians who had circulated leaflets advertising the Wagner group. He described this as a clear example of the efficiency of Poland’s security services.
According to him, the detainees had traveled from Moscow through Turkey and Vienna, rented a car there, and continued through the Czech Republic toward Poland. He noted that the Russians possessed several thousand leaflets intended for distribution in Polish cities and that each act of stenciling and distribution was photographed and sent back to Russia.
“Such actions would generate a flood of social media posts with precise locations showing the Wagner leaflets in Poland. It would shape citizens’ perception of the national situation and the level of threat they felt”, he remarked.
Harsh Legal Consequences
Kamiński reported that the two Russians operated first in Krakow, distributing around 300 leaflets, and later moved to Warsaw where they were taken into custody. If convicted, he suggested that they could face several years in detention, depending on future court rulings.
The minister noted that the two Russians were promptly apprehended by Polish services. He highlighted the cooperation of the police and the Homeland Security Service as playing a major role in the arrests. He also mentioned that Russian actors known to have been tested by Russian special services, who participated in various actions within the European Union, were involved in the case.
In closing, Kamiński reaffirmed that the matter demonstrates the vigilance of Poland’s security apparatus and its readiness to coordinate with neighboring states to address cross-border threats posed by foreign mercenary groups. The discussion of concrete measures and the public communication plan was framed as a joint effort intended to reassure citizens and deter further provocations.
Citation: wPolityce