On 27 November, Russia shut its last Polish consulate in Irkutsk and summoned Poland’s ambassador, Krzysztof Krajewski, citing an “absurd pretext” for the action.
Russia Closes Last Polish Consulate
On 27 November, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs notified Polish Ambassador Krzysztof Krajewski that Russia had decided to withdraw its approval for the operation of the Polish Consulate General in Irkutsk. The decision followed the closure of the Russian consulate in Gdańsk by Polish foreign minister Radosław Sikorski.
Polish Response: Calls Closure an Unjustified Attack
The Russian Foreign Ministry described the closure of the Polish consular post in Poland as “an openly hostile and unjustified step” taken from an “absurd pretext.” It warned that the Russian Federation would not let such actions go unanswered.
Poland Closes Three Russian Consulates Over Acts of Sabotage
Poland has already closed Russian consulates in Poznań, Kraków, and Gdańsk, citing sabotage and arson incidents linked to Ukrainian nationals working with Russian intelligence. In May, the Gdańsk consulate was shut after a fire at a Warsaw shopping centre involved Russian services.
Historical Context of Consular Closures
The most recent closure in Gdańsk followed a 20 November conference by the Polish Foreign Minister, who announced that the Polish government would withdraw approval for the Russian consulate following allegations that the consulate had been used for espionage and sabotage under a “false flag” operation.
