Poland arrests Russian man for alleged assassination plot against US-Ukrainian national, Tusk says
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Polish authorities have arrested a Russian man accused of planning to kill a U.S.-Ukrainian dual citizen in Warsaw, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced in a press conference on Aug. 13.
The suspect was detained on Aug. 7 in cooperation with Polish security services, police, and U.S. authorities, Tusk revealed. Russian special services allegedly recruited the individual and gave him orders to "carry out an execution" against a U.S.-Ukrainian national.
"This marks the first instance where someone, acting on Russian orders, has attempted to assassinate an American citizen on the territory of another NATO country," Tusk said.
Tusk said he was not authorized to disclose the names of any of the individuals involved, but described the target of the thwarted assassination as "a thorn in the side of the Putin regime." He also said Poland and other NATO members should be prepared for similar plots in the future.
"We will likely face such pressure in the future, so we have a very difficult task ahead of us to avert the worst-case scenarios," Tusk said.
Poland's announcement comes amid heightened alarm over the possibility of escalating Russian provocations on NATO territory. Recently released U.S. intelligence reports indicate that Russian President Vladimir Putin could launch a limited attack against a NATO member as early as fall 2026.
European and NATO countries already face threats from the Kremlin's ongoing hybrid warfare campaigns, which have involved cyberattacks, drone incursions, espionage, and election interference.
Russia has also been linked to assassination attempts, including a plot to kill Armin Papperger, the CEO of German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall.
