Poland Accuses Russia of Orchestrating Arson Incident at Warsaw Shopping Centre

Poland's foreign minister claims that Moscow recruited arsonists through social media to execute the 2024 shopping centre fire, with evidence suggesting the involvement of Russian intelligence services. In response, Poland has closed a second consulate and heightened measures against Russian presence in the country.

Poland's foreign minister has made striking accusations against Russia, asserting that evidence shows the recruitment of arsonists via the messaging platform Telegram for a catastrophic shopping centre fire in Warsaw last year. In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Radek Sikorski condemned Moscow’s actions as "completely unacceptable," following a Polish investigation that concluded the fire at the Marywilska shopping centre was orchestrated by Russia's intelligence services.

The fire incident, which occurred in May 2024, resulted in the destruction of 1,400 small businesses, predominantly affecting members of Warsaw's Vietnamese community. Sikorski stated, "We have evidence that they commissioned people living in Poland, they commissioned them on Telegram and paid them to set fire to this huge shopping mall," emphasizing the narrow escape of individuals from injury during the ordeal.

In light of these developments, Sikorski has indicated a decisive strategy to further diminish Russia's presence in Poland, including the closure of its consulate in Krakow, to mitigate espionage threats posed by Moscow. Hybrid warfare tactics, characterized by anonymous and deniable attacks aimed at infringing on an opponent's infrastructure, have made the Polish government increasingly vigilant. “We will take further decisions if they continue these hybrid attacks,” added Sikorski.

Currently, Poland hosts only one Russian consulate along with its embassy, following the closure of other missions amid accusations of sabotage and cyber warfare against Russia. When questioned about the possibility of severing diplomatic relations entirely, Sikorski expressed hope that further escalation would be avoided.

In response to these assertions, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed Poland's claims as "groundless," labeling them as "Russophobic." He criticized the reduction of Russia's diplomatic presence in Poland as part of a broader strategy undermining bilateral relations and accused Poland of hostility.

Since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Poland has apprehended and convicted numerous individuals alleged to have engaged in sabotage on behalf of Russian intelligence. Meanwhile, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Warsaw of purposefully deteriorating relations with Russia, claiming it counteracts the interests of its citizens.

Following a thorough investigation spanning a year into the shopping centre incident, Polish authorities concluded that a figure in Russia masterminded the blaze. Prime Minister Donald Tusk commented that some perpetrators have already been detained, while efforts continue to locate the remaining suspects. The fire left many workers without crucial documents and cash, forcing them to relocate their businesses to a new shopping centre launched in October last year amidst fears of further break-ins.