A Russian citizen, who has been living and conducting business activities in Poland for many years, has been charged with spying for Russia between 2015 and April 2022, Polish authorities said on Thursday.

The man was detained in April 2022 on evidence that he had collected information concerning the military readiness of the Polish Armed Forces and of NATO troops that was then passed on to the Russian intelligence service.

An indictment was submitted last Friday to Gdańsk District Court against the suspect, a spokeswoman for the District Prosecutor’s Office in Gdańsk said in a statement.

According to authorities, the alleged spy had been in Poland legally for many years. He had been running a business, and through his involvement in historical reconstruction groups he had established and maintained contacts with soldiers.

“The suspect’s espionage activity was focused on military units located in the north-eastern part of Poland, as part of which he carried out tasks of reconnaissance of important elements of the Polish Armed Forces,” she added.

“The case… is one of several proceedings concerning activities for the intelligence services of Russia and Belarus against the Polish Armed Forces that prosecutors of the military affairs division are currently conducting,” the spokeswoman conveyed.

In addition, a number of corruption offenses committed by the man relating to the customs clearance of goods were revealed. The man faces up to 10 years in prison.