Polish Police Arrest Three for Attacks on Russian Dissidents in Argentina and Lithuania

Polish police have arrested three Polish citizens for their alleged involvement in attacks on Russian dissidents critical of Vladimir Putin in Argentina and Lithuania. The arrests were made partly due to findings by Argentine authorities and an investigation by Russian media outlet The Insider.

One of the detainees, identified as Grzegorz Daszkowski, is suspected of intimidating and attacking economist Maxim Mironov and his wife Alexandra Petrachkova in Buenos Aires on August 31 and September 1, 2023. Daszkowski is believed to have been hired by Russian intelligence services to carry out the attack. The assailants arrived in the countries just before the incidents, indicating prior reconnaissance on the victims' residences and movements.

Two other Polish citizens were arrested in Poland on suspicion of attacking Russian activist Leonid Volkov, an ally of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, on the orders of foreign intelligence services. The attack on Volkov took place in Lithuania, where he lives in exile, and involved smashing one of his car windows, spraying tear gas in his eyes, and hitting him with a hammer. Volkov suffered a broken arm in the attack and accused Putin's "henchmen" of responsibility.

Why this matters: The arrests highlight the ongoing crackdown on dissent against the Russian government and the alleged involvement of Russian intelligence services in targeting Kremlin opponents abroad. The incident also underscores the cooperation between European law enforcement agencies in investigating and apprehending suspects linked to such attacks.

The two Polish suspects who attacked Volkov traveled to Vilnius before the attack and returned to Warsaw afterward. They were detained on April 3 in an operation involving Lithuanian police and are expected to be handed over to Lithuania in May for a criminal investigation.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda announced the arrests and thanked Poland for its excellent cooperation in the investigation. Volkov expressed gratitude for the persistent work of the Lithuanian police and said he is looking forward to learning more details about the arrests.

The attacks on Russian dissidents by Polish citizens suspected of being recruited by Russian intelligence services reveal a pattern of the Kremlin leveraging European criminal groups to target its opponents. As the investigation progresses, more details are expected to emerge about the suspects' links to extremist soccer fan circles and their alleged ties to foreign intelligence services.

Key Takeaways

• Polish police arrested 3 Poles for attacks on Russian dissidents in Argentina, Lithuania
• Suspect Grzegorz Daszkowski allegedly attacked Russian economist Maxim Mironov in Argentina
• 2 other Poles arrested for attacking Russian activist Leonid Volkov in Lithuania
• Arrests highlight crackdown on dissent against Russian govt and alleged involvement of Russian intel
• Suspects had ties to extremist soccer fan circles and foreign intelligence services