Moscow cautions Poland following consulate closure
(MENAFN) Russia has condemned Poland's decision to shut down the Russian consulate in Krakow, warning of retaliation. The move came after Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski accused Moscow of involvement in a major fire at the Marywilska 44 shopping center in Warsaw earlier in May 2024.
Sikorski claimed the act was sabotage orchestrated by Russian intelligence, though he did not disclose specific evidence. Polish Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak added that the operation was allegedly directed by an individual residing in Russia, with some suspects now under arrest.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized the closure as reckless and politically motivated, telling Izvestia that Poland was deliberately dismantling diplomatic ties. She stated that Russia would deliver a proportional response in due course.
Russia’s ambassador in Warsaw, Sergey Andreyev, revealed that Moscow was not formally informed of the consulate's closure. A spokesperson from Poland’s Foreign Ministry indicated that a reciprocal Russian closure—possibly of a Polish consulate in Kaliningrad or Irkutsk—is expected.
The fire, which broke out on May 12, destroyed most of the vast shopping complex, causing the roof to collapse. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but around 1,400 businesses—many run by Warsaw’s Vietnamese community—suffered major losses.
Poland, along with other Western nations, has repeatedly accused Russia of sabotage and “hybrid warfare” tactics amid tensions over Ukraine. Moscow continues to deny any involvement in such actions.
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