Russian activist's shocking confession rocks Polish security
A Russian opposition activist arrested in Poland has made a startling confession in court documents, admitting he worked as an undercover agent for Russia's FSB security service and informed on other opposition figures.
Igor Rogov, 30, who left Russia in 2021 and settled in Poland with his wife shortly after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, faces serious charges of espionage and cooperation with Russian intelligence services.
From activist to agent: Rogov's double life
According to court documents obtained by The Guardian, Rogov had been associated with various opposition movements in the Russian city of Saransk, including Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation and Open Russia, which is linked to exiled businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky.
The indictment reveals that Rogov admitted to interrogators that he was approached by the FSB several years ago while still in Russia and was coerced into infiltrating local opposition movements. His cooperation allegedly escalated over time, progressing from initial contact to regular in-person meetings at an unmarked apartment near the local FSB headquarters.
"At that time, he also began to receive money in exchange for cooperation," states the indictment, explaining how Rogov's financial situation improved despite not having formal employment.
European operations and family involvement
After relocating to Poland and settling in Sosnowiec, Rogov's espionage activities continued. The court documents claim he asked his wife, Irina Rogova, to help transfer an encrypted USB stick containing reports on Russian activists and other individuals in Poland who might interest the FSB.
The covert operation involved hiding the USB stick in a package with Polish souvenirs during a visit to Russia, then posting it to a specified address. Rogov's wife, who was also arrested, told investigators that her husband "probably received money for this, because he was not working at the time but he had money."
Polish outlet Wirtualna Polska previously reported that the FSB allegedly blackmailed Rogov to continue cooperating while in Poland, threatening to conscript his father into the Russian army if he refused.
Pattern of Russian operations in Poland
Rogov's case stands out among numerous sabotage-related arrests in Poland over the past two years. While many suspects are Polish, Ukrainian or Belarusian citizens believed to have been recruited via Telegram for one-time paid jobs, Rogov represents a different pattern - a Russian citizen maintaining direct contact with the FSB over several years.
Leonid Volkov of the Anti-Corruption Foundation commented on the case, writing on X: "This is not surprising. The FSB has always done this, still does it and will carry on doing so: finding young people with vulnerabilities, recruiting them and then sending them into opposition organisations."
Another aspect of the case involves an explosive device package addressed to Rogov that he never received. He claimed he agreed to accept the package as a favour to a friend. A Ukrainian woman arrested in connection with this package has since been released.
The first hearing in the trial of Igor and Irina Rogov is scheduled for 8 December, marking a significant development in Poland's ongoing efforts to counter Russian intelligence operations on its soil.
