Poland blames Russia for Warsaw shopping centre fire, to close Krakow consulate

Poland has summoned the Russian ambassador and announced the closure of Russia’s consulate in Krakow, after claiming Moscow was behind a major fire that destroyed a Warsaw shopping centre last year.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the government was certain that Russian secret services were responsible for the attack on the Marywilska Street mall in 2024.

The foreign ministry said the Russian ambassador was called in on Monday. Later that day, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski confirmed the expulsion decision in a statement posted on X, citing what he described as “reprehensible sabotage.”

Russia has denied the allegation and accused Poland of Russophobia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the claims were unfounded and reflected an “unfriendly position” toward Russia.

The Polish government says it is increasingly targeted by sabotage and cyberattacks due to its support for Ukraine. Poland is a key NATO transit hub for weapons and aid heading to Kyiv.

Russia will have 30 days to close the Krakow consulate, which employs seven staff. The move follows a similar expulsion last year in Poznan, after which Moscow shut the Polish consulate in St. Petersburg.

At present, Russia maintains a consulate in Gdansk and its main embassy in Warsaw.

The case echoes accusations made by Lithuanian authorities in March, when Russia’s military intelligence was blamed for setting fire to an IKEA store in Vilnius—three days before the Warsaw blaze.

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