Poland Orders Closure of Russian Consulate in Krakow Over Warsaw Shopping Centre Arson Link

Report by Safarti Tarjuman International Desk

Poland has decided to shut down the Russian consulate in Krakow after confirming Russian intelligence involvement in a massive fire that devastated a major shopping centre in Warsaw last year.

The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian ambassador and formally notified him of the decision. Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stated that Warsaw has “irrefutable evidence” pointing to Russian special services as the perpetrators of the sabotage targeting the Marywilska 44 shopping complex in May 2024.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk also affirmed the findings, declaring that Polish authorities were “certain” about Russia’s role in the attack. The decision gives the Russian consulate 30 days to cease operations, impacting three diplomats and four staff members currently stationed in Krakow.

The Kremlin responded by rejecting the accusations. Russian government spokesperson Dmitry Peskov condemned the decision, accusing Poland of engaging in an anti-Russian campaign without presenting credible evidence. He described the move as part of an ongoing “Russophobic” stance by Warsaw.

In response, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow would take reciprocal action once diplomatic protocols are completed. She criticized Poland’s actions as harmful not only to Russia but also to Polish citizens, whom she claimed would suffer the consequences of deteriorating ties.

This latest diplomatic escalation follows a similar incident in October, when Poland closed the Russian consulate in Poznan over suspected sabotage. Russia responded by shutting down Poland’s consulate in St. Petersburg. With the closure in Krakow, Russia now retains only a consulate in Gdansk and its main embassy in Warsaw.

Tensions between Poland and Russia have intensified since the start of the war in Ukraine. Polish officials say their country’s central role in supporting Kyiv has made it a prime target for Russian cyberattacks, propaganda, and covert operations.

The regional threat appears to be growing. In a related case earlier this year, Lithuanian prosecutors accused Russian military intelligence of carrying out an arson attack at an IKEA store in Vilnius, days before the Warsaw shopping centre blaze. Authorities across Eastern Europe are now on heightened alert for further acts of sabotage.