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Poland Shuts Russia’s Gdansk Consulate After Rail Sabotage Allegations

Moscow denounces the decision as Russophobia, vowing to cut Poland’s presence in Russia.

Overview

  • Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said Poland is withdrawing consent for the Russian consulate in Gdansk, leaving only the embassy in Warsaw open.
  • Prime Minister Donald Tusk linked the move to two recent rail attacks he called an unprecedented security threat to Poland.
  • Investigators reported a steel clamp was placed on tracks to possibly derail a train and a separate explosive detonated under a freight train, with no injuries.
  • Polish leaders allege Russian secret services commissioned the sabotage using two recruited Ukrainians who are believed to have fled to Belarus, with identities withheld during the investigation.
  • Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov lamented the deterioration in ties, and Russia’s Foreign Ministry signaled reciprocal reductions in Poland’s diplomatic footprint.