Poland to close last Russian consulate following sabotage incidents
Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski told the Polish parliament on Wednesday that the closure does not signal an intention to sever diplomatic relations with Moscow.
In response, Russian officials indicated a reciprocal move, with the Foreign Ministry stating that Poland’s diplomatic and consular presence in Russia would be reduced. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “relations with Poland have completely deteriorated” and criticized Warsaw’s action as lacking common sense, asserting that the decision demonstrates the current strained state of bilateral ties.
Poland still maintains an embassy in Moscow with a consular section and a consulate in Irkutsk, Siberia.
The latest closure follows railway sabotage incidents targeting lines transporting Western military aid to Ukraine. In at least one case, military-grade C4 explosives were reportedly used.
Authorities later accused two Ukrainians of involvement, alleging they worked for Russian intelligence and fled to Belarus. Peskov denied Russian involvement.
This step continues a pattern of consulate closures between the two countries. In May, Poland shut the Russian consulate in Krakow, prompting Russia to close Poland’s consulate in Kaliningrad in July. In October, Warsaw closed the Russian consulate in Poznan, and Moscow subsequently shuttered the Polish Consulate General in St. Petersburg in December.
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