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.
Read next
12:44
world news
Poland’s Special Representative for Afghanistan met with the Taliban’s acting foreign minister in Kabul to discuss political ties, Afghan refugees in Europe, and future economic cooperation, signaling a cautious but growing engagement between the two nations.
20:45
Karol Nawrocki
The election of nationalist Karol Nawrocki as Poland’s new president marks a significant political shift that could complicate the country’s relations with both the European Union and Ukraine,
10:40
World News
Karol Nawrocki, a conservative historian and eurosceptic, has won Poland's presidency with 50.89% of the vote, promoting a nationalist platform, military aid to Ukraine, and a strongman image that resonated with right-wing voters.
09:13
World News
Polish nationalist opposition candidate Karol Nawrocki won the second round of the country's presidential election with 50.89% of the votes, the electoral commission said early on Monday on its website.
02:00
Exit polls show a razor-thin lead for liberal candidate Rafal Trzaskowski, with official results expected Monday in Poland’s too-close-to-call presidential race.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment