Russia ordered the closure of Poland’s Consulate in Kaliningrad on Friday, escalating tensions between the two nations amid ongoing allegations of Russian sabotage. The move comes in direct retaliation for Poland’s May 2025 decision to shut down the Russian Consulate in Krakow, following a fire at Warsaw’s Marywilska 44 shopping center a year earlier on May 12, 2024.
Polish officials claim the 2024 blaze, which destroyed over 1,400 shops, was orchestrated by Russian security services, though no casualties were reported. Russia has denied involvement in the incident and other sabotage acts cited by Poland.
Previously, Poland had also closed Russia’s Consulate in Poznan, leaving only one Russian consulate operational in Gdansk.
Relations have deteriorated sharply since Russia’s 2024 invasion of Ukraine, with Poland strongly backing Kyiv. The Kaliningrad consulate closure highlights growing fears in NATO’s eastern states over alleged Russian efforts to destabilize Europe through covert operations, including arson attacks in the UK and Lithuania.
Shongjog 