Warsaw: Polish authorities detained an employee Friday of a state-owned defense company on suspicion of spying for a foreign intelligence service. Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz stated that a Pole employed at a factory belonging to Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) was arrested earlier this week following an investigation by the Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW). According to Anadolu Agency, Tomasz Siemoniak, the minister responsible for coordinating Poland's intelligence services, commended the efforts of SKW, ABW, and prosecutors, but did not identify the foreign intelligence service allegedly involved. Authorities have also withheld details about the suspect's role within the company or the specifics of the information allegedly passed. Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that prosecutors in Poznan charged the suspect with providing information to a foreign intelligence service in a manner detrimental to Poland's national interests. A district court has ordered the individual to remain in pre-trial d etention for three months. Under Polish law, espionage carries a penalty of at least eight years in prison, up to life imprisonment. The case is of particular concern due to the involvement of an employee of PGZ, Poland's largest state-owned defense group and a crucial supplier to the armed forces. PGZ comprises numerous companies that manufacture military equipment, ranging from artillery systems and armored vehicles to small arms and ammunition. Many subsidiaries within PGZ have increased production since Russia's war with Ukraine began in 2022, as Poland launched one of Europe's largest military modernization initiatives. This arrest occurs amidst ongoing warnings from Polish authorities about the country becoming a significant target for alleged Russian intelligence operations, given its role as a logistical hub for Western military aid to Ukraine. Since the war's onset, Polish security services have made several arrests related to alleged Russian espionage, sabotage, and influence operations. In 2023, Polish authorities dismantled a purported Russian spy network that allegedly monitored railway routes used to transport military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, leading to the conviction of several foreign nationals. Last year, Polish officials reported a significant increase in hostile intelligence activities, including cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and suspected sabotage targeting NATO countries supporting Ukraine. Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government has continuously accused Russia and Belarus of conducting hybrid operations against Poland and other European nations, allegations that both countries deny.