Russia Expels Polish Diplomats and Shuts Polish Consulate in Retaliatory Move

Russia announced the expulsion of three Polish diplomats and the closure of Poland’s consulate general in St. Petersburg as a direct response to Poland’s decision to shut down the Russian consulate general in Poznań.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry explained the action, emphasizing that the closure would take effect on January 10, 2025.

“On December 5, the Russian Foreign Ministry handed a note to the Polish side, saying that in retaliation for the closure of the Russian consulate general in Poznań by the country’s government on November 30, the Russian side is withdrawing its consent for the operation of the Polish consulate general in St. Petersburg from January 10, 2025,” the ministry wrote in a press release.

In addition to the consulate’s closure, three Polish diplomats were declared personae non gratae and ordered to leave Russia. The ministry underscored that “any hostile actions towards Moscow will continue to be met with harsh retaliatory measures.”

Relations between Russia and Poland have been marked by increasing hostility in recent years. The Russian ministry accused Polish authorities of dismantling the decades-old framework of cooperation between the two countries. It further criticized Poland’s “anti-Russian course,” alleging it was part of a broader strategy to inflict a “strategic defeat” on Moscow.

“The closure of the Russian consulate general in Poznań under a far-fetched pretext was one of the manifestations of this anti-Russian course,” the statement added.

The tensions date back to Poland’s accusations that Russia has engaged in hybrid warfare, including cyberattacks and border destabilization efforts. On October 22, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski announced the closure of the Russian consulate in Poznań, citing these security concerns. Poland has also linked Russia to incidents like the fire that destroyed Warsaw’s largest shopping center and acts of sabotage within the country.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk reinforced these claims earlier in May, revealing that nine individuals had been charged for suspected Kremlin-linked sabotage.

The closure of consulates on both sides marks a significant downturn in Russian-Polish relations, with experts warning of further retaliatory measures. While Moscow accuses Poland of escalating the situation, Warsaw remains firm in its stance, suggesting that Ukraine might take over the vacated Russian consulate building in Poznań.