Category
Latest news

Poland Accuses Russia of Coordinated Arson Attack That Destroyed Major Warsaw Mall

2 min read
Authors
Photo of Vlad Litnarovych
Vlad Litnarovych
Author
Poland Accuses Russia of Coordinated Arson Attack That Destroyed Major Warsaw Mall
Black smoke is seen in the sky above the burning Marywilska 44 shopping center in Warsaw on May 12, 2024. (Source: Getty Images)

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk publicly accused Russian intelligence services of orchestrating the massive fire that destroyed the Marywilska 44 shopping center in Warsaw on May 12, 2024, vowing justice for the deliberate act of sabotage, Tusk wrote on X on May 11.

“We now know for sure that the great fire of the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw was caused by arson ordered by the Russian special services. Some of the perpetrators have already been detained, all the others are identified and searched for. We will get you all!” Tusk stated.

The blaze gutted the sprawling shopping complex on Marywilska Street, displacing nearly 2,000 vendors and employees. Authorities later determined the damage was so extensive that the remaining structure must be demolished.

Poland’s Justice Minister and Prosecutor General Adam Bodnar, along with Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak, who also coordinates the country’s intelligence services, issued a joint statement confirming the year-long investigation that led to the conclusion of foreign sabotage.

In addition, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski announced that Poland suspends the operation of Russian consulate in Krakow.

“Due to evidence that the Russian special services committed a reprehensible act of sabotage against the shopping center on Marywilska Street, I have decided to withdraw my consent to the operation of the Consulate of the Russian Federation in Krakow,” Sikorski wrote.

They said Polish investigators worked closely with their Lithuanian counterparts, noting that some of the suspects were also involved in subversive activities in Lithuania.

According to the ministers, authorities now have “detailed information” about how the arson was ordered, carried out, and documented. They claim the operation was directed by a handler based in Russia.

The fire at Marywilska 44 is now one of the most high-profile acts of suspected Russian sabotage on EU territory since the start of Moscow’s full-scale war against Ukraine—a reminder of the widening scope of hybrid threats facing NATO allies.

Earlier, Poland accused Russia of launching an unprecedented campaign to interfere in its upcoming presidential election, set for May 18, as the country braces for cyberattacks, sabotage, and disinformation in the final stretch of campaigning.

See all