Poland is therefore taking a very brave step by closing its own Russian consulate in Kraków. Today’s uncommon move follows a multi-month investigation into the fire that burned down much of the capital’s lively shopping district. The blaze, which occurred several months ago, destroyed an estimated 1,400 stores and service providers. In turn, Polish authorities have intensified their campaign looking for the hand of the foreign adversaries.
Here’s how that investigation has played out in just the past four months. To do it, they assembled a unique team of 55 prosecutors and 100 police officers. Human Rights Defender Adam Bodnar and Internal Security Minister Tomasz Siemoniak issued a joint statement. They claim the proof shows that fire was caused by arson conducted through Russian secret services.
“Based on the evidence gathered, we know that the fire was the result of arson instructed by the Russian secret services,” – joint statement.
This interrogation uncovered patterns between the most recent incidents of firebombing in Poland, Lithuania, and the UK, tied directly to Russian culpability. Investigators found that most of the assailants in previous incidents had been Ukrainian or Belarusian refugees. This troubling and deeply concerning finding speaks to the opportunities for abuse and exploitation of these vulnerable populations.
In a related case, a Polish court recently sentenced Serhiy S., a Ukrainian man, to eight years in prison for plotting an arson attack on a warehouse facility in Wrocław. Judge Marcin Myczkowski highlighted that this operation was “organised and directed by a specific person residing in the Russian Federation,” further underlining the alleged foreign coordination behind these acts.
The importance of these findings go far beyond just Poland. In a strident warning, Radosław Sikorski did not pull punches. His comments underscored the new need for urgency and preparedness to respond at a moment’s notice to attacks on national security interests.
Piotr Krawczyk, a former head of Poland’s foreign intelligence service, elaborated on the strategic motivations behind these acts of sabotage. He continued on to lay out their plan—to incite unrest and unease in Europe.
“The strategic aim is to sow discord and insecurity. They are not destroying significant infrastructure. They are concentrating on soft targets that influence a general perception of insecurity in society. This is classic psyops,” – Piotr Krawczyk.
Poland’s move to close the Russian consulate in Kraków follows just a few weeks after it closed down its consulate in Poznań. In retaliation, Russia has announced the closure of the Polish consulate in St Petersburg, escalating diplomatic tensions between the two nations.
Polish and other European intelligence services believe that Russia is behind a more European-wide campaign of sabotage. Surprisingly, some of the targets are related to the current war in Ukraine, though they are deceptively worded. The rest appear arbitrarily selected to sow discord and confusion.
Now, the Kraków consulate, home to 50-70 Russian diplomats, has been ordered to leave its property within 30 days. Poland is looking to cement its actions against what it perceives as threats from foreign actors. This action signals to the public that the nation is committed to fostering domestic tranquility.
As tensions rise, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, criticized Poland’s actions, stating that “Warsaw continues to deliberately destroy relations, acting against the interests of its citizens.”