Mon May 12 11:54:57 UTC 2025: **Poland Expels Russian Diplomat, Closes Consulate After Accusing Moscow of Shopping Centre Arson**
WARSAW, Poland – Poland has dramatically escalated tensions with Russia, summoning the Russian ambassador and closing the Russian consulate in Krakow following a year-long investigation that concluded Moscow orchestrated a massive fire at a Warsaw shopping centre in May 2024.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Sunday that the investigation confirmed arson, with the blaze, which destroyed 1,400 retail units, ordered by Russian intelligence services. The order, he stated, originated from within Russia, and several suspects are already in custody.
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski followed up on Monday by announcing the closure of the Krakow consulate, citing evidence of “reprehensible sabotage” by Russian special services. This action follows a similar closure of the Russian consulate in Poznan in October, which was also attributed to suspected sabotage.
Russia vehemently denies any involvement. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova denounced the accusations as evidence of anti-Russian sentiment and promised a retaliatory response. She accused Warsaw of deliberately damaging relations.
The incident marks a significant deterioration in already strained relations between the two countries. Poland, a strong supporter of Ukraine, has repeatedly accused Russia of sabotage, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns since the start of the war in February 2022. This accusation is consistent with similar allegations made by other Western nations, including Lithuania, which accused Russia of an arson attack on an IKEA store in Vilnius earlier this year. Western intelligence agencies have widely linked Moscow to a series of suspicious fires and acts of sabotage across Europe.
First Piper 