Event 3578c29b-184b-47b2-b005-493d04bd83d5

Healthy processed event from Hybrid War Tracker

Status: Healthy (Processed) Last Updated: 2026-02-14 Confidence: Low Classification: Intelligence & Espionage > Human Intelligence (HUMINT) > Recruitment of locals Country: Poland Where: Land Node: Node 3: Political Disruptions Tag: Poland Tag: Russia Tag: Espionage Tag: Russian intelligence Tag: Consulate closure Tag: Arson attack Tag: Marywilska Street Tag: Diplomatic retaliation Tag: Radosław Sikorski Tag: Kraków Tag: Poznań Tag: Warsaw Aggressor Defense Confidence: High
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Event Time
1y ago
Created
23h ago
✏️
Updated
20h ago

Summary

Headline: Polish Foreign Minister Revokes Consent for Russian Consulate in Kraków Over Espionage and Arson Links

Short Summary: On May 12, 2024, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski revoked the permission for Russia to operate its consulate general in Kraków, citing evidence of Russian intelligence involvement in an arson attack on the large shopping center at 44 Marywilska Street, Warsaw, which burned down on May 12, 2023, affecting approximately 1,400 shops. Earlier, in October 2023, the consulate in Poznań was closed due to espionage involvement. These diplomatic actions represent Poland's strong stance against Russian intelligence activities on its soil and have sparked debate on potential further closures of Russian consulates and embassies across Eastern Europe to counter espionage risks.

Extended Summary: On May 12, 2024, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski revoked the permission for Russia to operate its consulate general in Kraków, citing evidence of Russian intelligence involvement in an arson attack on the large shopping center at 44 Marywilska Street, Warsaw, which burned down on May 12, 2023, affecting approximately 1,400 shops. Earlier, in October 2023, the consulate in Poznań was closed due to espionage involvement. These diplomatic actions represent Poland's strong stance against Russian intelligence activities on its soil and have sparked debate on potential further closures of Russian consulates and embassies across Eastern Europe to counter espionage risks.

Description

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski decided to revoke consent for the operation of the Russian Federation's consulate general in Kraków, Poland. This action followed evidence linking Russian intelligence services to an arson attack on a shopping center located at 44 Marywilska Street in Warsaw, which burned down on May 12, 2023, destroying approximately 1,400 shops and service outlets. Additionally, in October 2023, Minister Sikorski ordered the closure of the Russian consulate general in Poznań after revelations of its involvement in espionage activities. The move has garnered various reactions, with some advocating further closures of Russian diplomatic missions in Eastern Europe.

Event Classification

Aggressor Event Defense Preparation Event

Rationale

The event details hostile Russian intelligence operations involving arson and espionage, which prompted Polish governmental defensive diplomatic measures including consulate closures.