Tensions between Warsaw and Moscow have escalated further as Poland announced the closure of the Russian consulate in Kraków on Monday, May 12. The decision comes amid allegations that Russian intelligence services were behind a major fire that occurred in the Polish capital in May 2024.
“Based on evidence indicating an act of sabotage by Russian special services against a shopping center […], I have decided to revoke the operating license of the Consulate of the Russian Federation in Kraków,” Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski announced on social media.
The fire in question destroyed a large warehouse housing around 1,400 small businesses, most of them run by Vietnamese merchants. Since then, suspicions of Russian interference have intensified. Polish authorities say they have arrested and convicted several individuals allegedly involved in sabotage operations on behalf of Russian intelligence.
Moscow responded swiftly, promising what it called an “appropriate response.”
“Warsaw is deliberately pursuing the destruction of bilateral relations […]. A suitable response to these unjustified actions will be announced shortly,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Poland—one of Kyiv’s staunchest allies—has claimed to be the target of repeated destabilization attempts orchestrated by Moscow.