Poland shuts Russian consulate in Krakow over Moscow-linked arson attack

He made the statement during a briefing, according to Slawa.tv.

“Earlier, I shut down the Russian consulate in Poznań after a previous sabotage attempt — an arson attack on a pharmaceutical factory in Wroclaw. Yesterday, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Justice confirmed that we have clear evidence the large-scale fire was carried out on the orders of Russian intelligence services. It’s a miracle no one was killed. We cannot allow this kind of behavior. Poland and other Western democracies do not commit sabotage on Russian territory,” said Sikorski.

The minister emphasized: evidence show “that it was the Russian special services that carried out the shameful act of sabotage against the shopping mall on Marywilska Street, I have decided to revoke the permit for the operation of the Consulate of the Russian Federation in Krakow," Polish outlet Onet quoted him as saying.

In addition, the Polish Ministers of Justice and Interior issued a joint statement on this issue.

"We now know, based on the accumulated evidence, that the fire was the result of arson ordered by the Russian special services. We are well aware of the order and course of the arson, as well as how it was documented by the criminals. Their actions were organized and directed by an identified person residing in the Russian Federation. Some of the perpetrators are already in custody, while others are being identified and searched. The prosecutor's office, the police and the Internal Security Agency continue investigative and operational actions aimed at their detention," said the statement of the Minister of the Interior of Poland, Tomasz Siemoniak.

• Earlier, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused the Russian special services of the fire that occurred in the Warsaw shopping center Marywilska on May 12, 2024.