Warsaw (Reuters) – Poland summoned the Russian ambassador and said it will close the Russian consulate in Krakow after Evidence showed that Moscow was responsible for a huge fire that almost completely destroyed a Warsaw Shopping in 2024.
Russia denied any involvement in the incendiary attack and accused Poland of Russophobia.
The relationships already tense between Warsaw and Moscow have worsened since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022. Poland, a NATO member, says its own role as a Kiev aid center has become the target of sabotage, cyber attacks, and Russia’s misinformation.
“The ambassador was invited to the ministry,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Pawel Wronski on Monday.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Poland knew “certainly” that Russian secret services were behind last year’s fire.
“Due to the evidence that Russian special services committed a reprehensible sabotage act against the mall on Marywilska Street, I decided to remove my consent to the operation of the Russian Federation Consulate in Krakow,” wrote Radoslaw Sikorski Foreign Affairs Minister at X.
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Sikorski told reporters at a meeting of foreign ministers in London that Poland will take other measures if attacks such as the mall continues.
Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Russia would have about 30 days to close the Krakow Consulate, which employs three diplomats and four other employees.
In reaction to Poland, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “Many different accusations against Russia are expressed in Poland, this is part of an absolutely Russophobic and hostile position in relation to our country.”
“In addition, all these accusations are always absolutely unfounded,” Peskov added.
