Poland orders closure of Russian consulate in Krakow, citing arson attack blamed on Moscow

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski said Monday that helium was ordering the closure of Russia’s consulate successful the confederate metropolis of Krakow aft Polish authorities said Russia was liable for a occurrence that destroyed a buying halfway successful Warsaw past year.

The occurrence broke retired May 12, 2024, successful the Marywilska 44 buying halfway that housed immoderate 1,400 shops and work points, a fund marketplace successful a warehouse-like operation successful a bluish territory of Warsaw. Many of the vendors were from Vietnam, and it inflicted calamity connected galore successful Warsaw’s Vietnamese community.

Sikorski announced the closure successful a connection published successful Warsaw connected Monday morning, precisely 1 twelvemonth aft the fire.

He besides addressed the substance during a sojourn to Britain, telling reporters the determination was taken due to the fact that the Justice Ministry and Security forces recovered grounds that Russia had committed arson.

“This was a immense occurrence of a buying promenade successful Warsaw successful which, conscionable by sheer luck, cipher was hurt. This is wholly unacceptable. So the Russian consulate volition person to leave. ... And if these attacks continue, we’ll instrumentality further action," helium said.

Sikorski past twelvemonth already ordered the closure of the Russian consulate successful Poznan, 1 of 3 astatine the clip successful Poland, successful effect to acts of sabotage including arson attacks that helium said were sponsored by Moscow.

This leaves lone 1 Russian consulate left, successful Gdansk.

There are rising concerns successful Europe implicit Russian attempts to destabilize the portion done covert operations. Russia has denied that it is doing that.

Countries on NATO's eastbound flank, similar Poland and the Baltic states, consciousness particularly vulnerable. Lithuania successful March accused Russia of carrying retired an arson onslaught past twelvemonth astatine an IKEA successful Vilnius, the capital. Authorities successful these countries person been cooperating arsenic they spot that immoderate of the alleged perpetrators enactment crossed borders.

Lithuania's authoritative general’s bureau said the fishy successful the Vilnius IKEA occurrence carried retired readying during a concealed gathering successful Warsaw to acceptable occurrence to and stroke up buying centers successful Lithuania and Latvia for a monetary reward.

Sikorski’s announcement followed Prime Minister Donald Tusk saying precocious Sunday that Polish officials “now cognize for definite that the monolithic occurrence connected Marywilska was the effect of arson commissioned by Russian services.”

“The actions were coordinated by a idiosyncratic residing successful Russia. Some of the perpetrators are already successful custody, portion the remainder person been identified and are being sought,” Tusk said connected X. “We volition drawback them all!”