Slovak leak endangers Czechs during Ukraine operation
Illustrative photo: Czech law enforcement officers were put at risk of a Russian attack (Getty Images)
A public statement by Slovak law enforcement about the arrest of a young man in Dnipro, who had been "planting bombs" in schools across Central Europe on orders from Russian handlers, has sparked a scandal. The Slovaks issued the statement while their Czech colleagues were still in Ukraine, thereby putting them at risk, according to Respekt portal.
The statement made by Slovak police on July 16, Czech police spokesperson Josef Bokan told journalists, put the lives of both Slovak and Czech law enforcement officers at risk. At the time of the announcement, they were still in Ukraine.
"Work was still ongoing on the ground, and it was not of a tactical nature — especially considering the safety of everyone present at the location, which is situated near Russia and the front line," he said.
According to Bokan, the threat was significant. In retaliation for the arrest of their agent, Russian forces could have launched a drone or missile strike on the location of the Czech and Slovak officers.
Additionally, Bratislava violated an agreement with Prague: the operation was to be made public only after all law enforcement officers from Czechia and Slovakia had returned home. This was emphasized by the operation’s coordinator from Eurojust, prosecutor Pavel Zeman.
One source expressed outrage that the Slovak police not only ignored Zeman’s direct warning but also failed to publicly mention the "Russian connection" in the investigation. Meanwhile, the Czech security service did highlight this aspect, for which Slovak Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok criticized them, claiming it could potentially compromise the investigation.
On July 15, the Slovak and Czech special services arrested a Ukrainian national in Dnipro suspected of sending threatening emails to schools in Central European countries. He is believed to have done so at the behest of Russian intelligence services and received payment for his actions.
The suspect was apprehended thanks to a joint special operation involving Ukrainian, Czech, and Slovak law enforcement. Under Slovak and Czech law, he faces a possible life sentence.
