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Poland announced on Wednesday that it had closed its consulate in the Russian city of Saint Petersburg, following Russia’s order for the closure in a tit-for-tat move.
Russia had ordered the closure in December after Poland declared in October that it was closing Russia’s consulate in the Polish city of Poznan, accusing Moscow of attempting “sabotage” in the country and its allies.
“The Polish Consulate General in Saint Petersburg was shut down after Russia withdrew its consent for the activity of the Polish post,” Poland’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
“It is in retaliation for the Polish foreign minister’s decision to close Russia’s Consulate General in Poznan, following acts of sabotage committed on Polish territory and linked to Russian authorities.”
After Russia’s order, Poland responded by stating that it would shut all Russian consulates on its soil if the “terrorism” it blamed on Moscow persisted.
Tensions between Russia and NATO member Poland have escalated since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with both sides expelling dozens of diplomats.
Poland is a staunch ally of Kyiv and has been a key transit point for Western arms heading to the embattled country since the conflict began.
In one of the largest espionage trials in 2023, Poland convicted 14 citizens from Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine for preparing sabotage on behalf of Moscow as part of a spy ring. They were found guilty of planning to derail trains carrying aid to Ukraine, and of monitoring military facilities and critical infrastructure in the country.
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