Russian couple sentenced for spying in Poland after parcel blast probe

WARSAW, July 9 - A Russian husband and wife were convicted of spying for Moscow by a Polish court and sentenced to prison, prosecutors said on Thursday, with one of them also found guilty of involvement in a plot to send a parcel bomb.

European authorities have been on high alert for explosive packages since a series of blasts at courier depots in Britain, Germany and near the Polish capital, Warsaw, in July 2024. Authorities blamed those incidents on Russia.

Moscow has repeatedly denied such accusations.

The man, identified only as Igor R. under Polish privacy laws, was convicted by a court in the southern city of Sosnowiec of participating in a scheme to send a parcel bomb through a courier service.

Igor R. and his wife, Irina, were also found guilty of providing Russian intelligence with information on Russian opposition activists living in Poland, as well as the individuals and institutions assisting them.

The man was sentenced to seven years in prison, while his wife received a three-year prison term. REUTERS