WARSAW, Poland — On Monday, Poland’s foreign minister announced a significant diplomatic measure by deciding to shut down the Russian Consulate in Krakow. This move follows the attribution of responsibility for a fire that ravaged a Warsaw shopping center last year to Moscow. The national prosecutor’s office has also charged two Ukrainian nationals allegedly linked to those responsible for the arson, revealing their identities as Daniil B. and Oleksander V.
The fire erupted on May 12, 2024, at the Marywilska 44 shopping complex, housing approximately 1,400 businesses and service outlets in northern Warsaw. This marketplace, known for its budget-friendly offerings and warehouse-style setup, was primarily frequented by vendors from Vietnam, deeply impacting Warsaw’s Vietnamese community.
“This catastrophic fire at a Warsaw shopping mall, where fortunately no one was harmed, is completely intolerable,” stated Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski. “Consequently, the Russian Consulate will need to vacate. We are prepared to take additional measures if such attacks persist.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refuted the allegations, labeling them as unfounded and rooted in anti-Russian bias. He criticized Warsaw’s decision to close the consulate, predicting a detrimental impact on the already strained Russia-Poland relations, which he described as “regrettably poor.” “Poland is opting for hostility against us,” Peskov asserted to the press on Monday.
Last year, Sikorski had already ordered the closure of the Russian Consulate in Poznan, citing similar acts of sabotage, including arson, purportedly orchestrated by Moscow. Currently, this leaves a sole Russian Consulate operating in Poland, located in Gdansk.
There is an increasing level of concern across Europe regarding potentially destabilizing efforts by Russia through covert operations. Countries on NATO’s eastern flank, including Poland and the Baltic nations, are particularly anxious. In March, Lithuania accused Russia of orchestrating an arson attack at an IKEA store in Vilnius the previous year.