Poland Blames Russia for Arson Attack on Warsaw Shopping Centre

Poland accuses Russia of orchestrating a fire that almost entirely decimated a major shopping centre in Warsaw, affirming its investigation has linked the event to Russian intelligence services.

Poland has formally accused Russian intelligence services of being behind a major fire that severely damaged the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw last year. Prime Minister Donald Tusk made the claims via a post on X, stating that Poland has established with certainty that the inferno, which occurred in May 2024, was the result of arson orchestrated by Russian special services. Tusk also noted that several individuals involved have been apprehended, with others actively being pursued.

The fire had a catastrophic impact, resulting in the destruction of 1,400 small businesses, many of which were operated by members of the Vietnamese community in Warsaw. Following a comprehensive year-long investigation, Polish authorities concluded that the fire was instigated by an unnamed individual residing in Russia. In a joint statement, Poland's justice and interior ministries asserted that the activities of those detained were "organized and directed by a specific person" in the Russian Federation, adding that they were collaborating with Lithuania, where some perpetrators allegedly engaged in similar acts.

Since Russia initiated its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Poland has detained and prosecuted several individuals accused of conducting acts of sabotage on behalf of Russian intelligence. Polish officials have characterized these actions as part of a broader "hybrid war" strategy employed by Moscow. Hybrid warfare involves covert operations that harm the infrastructure of opponents without constituting an outright act of war.

NATO has echoed concerns that Russia is executing hybrid warfare tactics across Europe, seeking to deter Western military support for Ukraine. In a previous incident in March, Lithuanian prosecutors accused Russia's military intelligence of involvement in an arson attack on an Ikea branch in Vilnius last year, with Tusk affirming that Lithuania corroborated Poland's assertions regarding Russian complicity in the fires at both the Vilnius and Warsaw shopping centres.

The Marywilska shopping centre, which opened its doors in 2010, was a hub for many local traders. The fire not only resulted in significant business losses but also left many workers without crucial documents and cash that they had kept there for security against home burglaries. To support affected traders, the owners of Marywilska launched a temporary shopping centre three months post-fire, allowing around 400 vendors to restart their operations. Additionally, a new alternative trading venue, Modlinska 6D, opened its doors in October 2024, providing a space for traders to relocate their businesses.