Poland’s Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador Sergei Andreev following the decision to close Russia’s consulate in Krakow. The closure comes after Polish authorities accused Russian intelligence services of orchestrating a devastating fire at the Marywilska 44 shopping center in Warsaw on May 12, 2024.
The fire at Marywilska 44 destroyed approximately 1,400 shops and service points, significantly impacting Warsaw’s Vietnamese community. Polish authorities accused that the fire was an act of arson coordinated by Russian intelligence.
In response to the findings, Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski announced the closure of the Russian consulate in Krakow, citing the sabotage as “completely unacceptable.” This move follows a previous shutdown of the Russian consulate in Poznan due to similar acts of sabotage, according to The Washington post. Currently, only one Russian consulate remains operational in Poland, located in Gdansk.
Russia has denied the allegations and accused Poland of intentionally undermining bilateral ties. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated, “Warsaw continues to deliberately destroy relations, acting against the interests of citizens. An adequate response to these inadequate steps will follow soon,” according to The Moscow Times.
The incident has heightened concerns among NATO’s eastern flank countries about Russian covert operations. Lithuania recently accused Russia of a similar arson attack at an IKEA store in Vilnius, with suspects reportedly coordinating their plans in Warsaw.
Poland’s decisive actions reflect its commitment to national security and the protection of its citizens. The closure of the consulate and the summoning of the Russian ambassador underscore the seriousness with which Poland views these acts of sabotage.
