In an exclusive interview, Poland's Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski detailed evidence suggesting Russian involvement in a massive 2024 shopping centre fire in Warsaw, leading to the closure of a Russian consulate.
Poland Alleges Russian Involvement in 2024 Shopping Centre Fire
Poland Alleges Russian Involvement in 2024 Shopping Centre Fire
Polish officials claim Russia recruited arsonists via Telegram to orchestrate a devastating fire in Warsaw, prompting a diplomatic response.
Poland's Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski has revealed new findings in an exclusive discussion with the BBC, asserting that intelligence indicates Russia was responsible for recruiting individuals through the Telegram app to set ablaze a shopping centre in Warsaw in 2024. This severe allegation, he described as "completely unacceptable," follows an extensive Polish investigation that has concluded international intelligence agencies were behind the fire that resulted in the loss of 1,400 small businesses, many of which were owned by members of the Vietnamese community in Warsaw.
In light of these developments, Sikorski announced the closure of a Russian consulate in Krakow, emphasizing that this move aims to limit Moscow's ability to conduct espionage within Poland. “We have evidence that they commissioned people living in Poland," Sikorski said. He maintained that the fire could have harmed lives but thankfully did not. He asserted that any further hybrid attacks from Russia would elicit additional responses from Poland.
Responding to these claims, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the accusations as "Russophobic" and baseless. He characterized Poland’s actions as detrimental to the already fragile state of bilateral relations, labeling them hostile and unfriendly. The fire, which occurred in May 2024, was particularly distressing as local traders lost crucial financial records and cash, fearing theft at home, and some workers have reportedly begun relocating to a newly opened shopping centre in Warsaw.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk affirmed that some perpetrators of the fire were already in custody and that searches for others believed to be involved were underway. As tensions escalate, with Poland’s investigation indicating direct orchestration from Russia, the future of diplomatic relations between the two nations remains uncertain.
