Poland's National Prosecutor's Office announced Friday that five people have been charged with acting on behalf of a foreign intelligence service, following coordinated arrests carried out on Nov. 25-26 by the Internal Security Agency and police units.

Authorities detained two Ukrainian nationals — Oleksandr S. and a minor, Sofia Ch. — along with three Belarusian citizens identified as Viktoryia M., Anton M., and Uladzimir U.

Prosecutors allege the group worked throughout 2024 to gather intelligence against the Polish state.

"The suspects' activities involved establishing contact with foreign intelligence representatives via Telegram and carrying out assigned tasks, including the creation and transmission of photographic documentation of critical infrastructure facilities and locations crucial to national security," the press release translated from Polish to English read.

"For these tasks, the suspects were paid in cryptocurrencies."

Three suspects — Viktoryia M., Oleksandr S., and Anton M. — have been placed in temporary detention for three months. The minor, Sofia Ch., has been ordered into a juvenile shelter for the same period.

Due to health concerns, Uladzimir U. was placed under a travel ban rather than arrest.

The case forms part of a broader investigation into espionage activities by individuals of various nationalities across Rzeszów, Warszawa, Łódź, and other areas between March 2024 and February 2025. Prosecutors said the tasks also included hanging posters and creating graffiti linked to foreign operations.

Espionage under Article 130 §1 of the Polish Penal Code carries a potential sentence of five to 30 years in prison.