Russia Announces Closure of Polish Consulate in St. Petersburg
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Moscow, Dec 6 (NationPress) Russia will shut down the Polish Consulate General in St. Petersburg effective January 10, 2025, as reported by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
This action is a direct response to the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Poznan on November 30 by Polish authorities, as stated by the Ministry on Thursday.
The Ministry also declared that three Polish consulate diplomats have been labeled as "persona non grata" and are required to leave Russia, according to the Xinhua news agency.
It accused Polish officials of maintaining an "openly hostile policy" towards Russia in recent times, asserting that the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Poznan exemplifies this stance.
"The Polish side has been notified that Moscow will implement and persist in enacting stringent countermeasures against any unfriendly actions towards Russia," the Ministry added.
On October 22, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski revealed that Warsaw had decided to close the Russian Consulate in Poznan and expel its diplomats due to alleged sabotage activities.
Poland, along with three other EU member nations in the Baltics, has accused Russia of conducting hybrid attacks that include "intimidation, the instrumentalization of migrants, sabotage, disinformation, foreign information manipulation, and interference".
On Thursday, Russia's Foreign Ministry reiterated that the closure of its Poznan consulate was aligned with Poland's "openly hostile policy" towards Moscow, aiming to deliver a "strategic defeat" to Russia.
Poland has cautioned that it would shut down all Russian consulates within its borders if the "terrorism" it attributes to Moscow continues.
"If acts of diversion and terrorism persist, I will terminate the remaining Russian consulate operations in Poland," Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski informed reporters following Moscow's announcement regarding the closure of its St. Petersburg consulate.
