Poland has ordered the closure of the Russian consulate within the metropolis of Poznan and the expulsion of its workers, International Minister Radoslaw Sikorski introduced on Tuesday.
On Monday, the authorities in Warsaw introduced the arrest of a suspected saboteur within the metropolis of Wroclaw. Sikorski claimed that Russian intelligence was behind the alleged conspiracy.
“Russia is waging a struggle towards Ukraine and a hybrid struggle towards Western international locations, together with Poland,” Sikorski claimed on Tuesday. “I’ve info that the Russian particular providers are behind the sabotage makes an attempt.”
“On this regard, I’ve determined to revoke consent for the functioning of the Russian consulate in Poznan. The consulate workers shall be acknowledged as personae non grata on the territory of Poland,” he added.
Sikorski didn’t present any proof for the accusations towards Russia. It was unclear how a consulate in Poznan might have had something to do with an alleged plot in Wroclaw, 180km away.
Russian International Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova mentioned that Moscow will give a “painful response” to Warsaw’s “hostile step,” however didn’t touch upon the matter additional.
A number of NATO member international locations, together with the UK and Poland, have accused Russia of being behind warehouse fires, alleging that unwitting native proxies have been being recruited to do Moscow’s bidding.
Earlier this month, the top of the British Safety Service (MI5) claimed that Russia was behind the “mayhem” on British streets, demanding extra funding and larger authority to counter this alleged menace.
Russia has denied all allegations as nonsensical. Earlier this 12 months, in an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson, President Vladimir Putin mentioned that Western politicians have been making an attempt to scare their very own populations by invoking an imaginary Russian menace in an effort to distract their consideration from home troubles.
