Polish Roman Catholic monk arrested in Belarus on charges of espionage

Footage from Belarusian television: arrest of a Polish monk accused of espionage. Photo: Notes from Poland

On September 5, 2025, a Polish monk of the Roman Catholic Church was detained in Belarus. He was accused of collecting classified information about the upcoming Russian-Belarusian military exercises “Zapad-2025” and attempting to transfer it to Polish intelligence. The news was reported by Notes from Poland.

According to the television channel, the arrest took place in the city of Lepel. The detainee turned out to be 27-year-old Kraków native Grzegorz G. Documents concerning the exercises, cash in various currencies, and a SIM card registered to another person were found in his possession. In the footage released, the man admits that the papers relate to the upcoming maneuvers.

State media claimed that the monk was allegedly gathering information for Polish intelligence and contacted Belarusians via social networks, offering them rewards and gifts for cooperation.

In Poland, these accusations were called “absurd.” Polish intelligence spokesperson Jacek Dobrzyński stated that the case is “another provocation by the regime of [Belarusian President Alexander] Lukashenko aimed at our country,” emphasizing that monks cannot be used for espionage.

The incident has sparked a new round of tensions between Minsk and Warsaw. Earlier, Belarusian authorities had intensified pressure on the Polish minority, while Poland, in turn, granted asylum to Belarusians persecuted after the 2020 elections.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that UGCC priests in Poland were establishing parishes for Ukrainian refugees while presenting themselves as Orthodox.

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