Is Poland Closing the Russian Consulate in Gdansk?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Poland has closed the last operational Russian consulate in Gdansk.
- Recent railway sabotage incidents have prompted this decision.
- The Warsaw to Lublin Line is crucial for Ukraine aid.
- Investigations are underway for acts of sabotage.
- The closure reflects heightened security concerns for Poland.
Warsaw, Nov 19 (NationPress) Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski announced the revocation of permission for the operation of Russia's last remaining Consulate in Gdansk, Poland, as a reaction to recent incidents of railway sabotage, according to local media reports.
The Polish government's choice follows attacks on two segments of the Warsaw to Lublin Line, which is considered a crucial link between Warsaw and the eastern regions bordering Ukraine. These acts were carried out during the weekend, as reported by Poland's TVP World.
Officials indicated that explosions occurred near the village of Mika, located approximately 90 kilometers south of Warsaw. Residents reported hearing a blast on Saturday night. Additionally, tampering was noted on the rails in the southern Lublin region, and a power line was reportedly severed.
Prosecutors have begun investigations into what they describe as “acts of sabotage of a terrorist nature, aimed at railway infrastructure and executed on behalf of a foreign intelligence agency.”
In a parliamentary address on Tuesday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk mentioned that investigators are tracking two Ukrainians linked to Russian intelligence who have fled to Belarus.
On Monday, Tusk stated that the damage to the tracks between Warsaw and Lublin resulted from “the detonation of an explosive device.” The damaged track near Mika was identified during a Sunday morning inspection.
He noted that further damage was discovered along the line near Lublin. He described the explosion of the rail track on the Warsaw-Lublin route as an “unprecedented act of sabotage” directly threatening Poland's security and its citizens.
In a post on X, he asserted, “The blowing up of the rail track on the Warsaw-Lublin route is an unprecedented act of sabotage aimed directly at the security of the Polish state and its citizens. This route is also vital for delivering aid to Ukraine. We will apprehend the perpetrators, regardless of who they are.”
Poland's Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski stated that “unfortunately, there is no doubt” that the incident in Mika was linked to sabotage. He mentioned that investigators are examining damage at another site but did not directly associate it with the apparent sabotage further north.