Poland has ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in the western city of Poznan over Moscows alleged sabotage attempts inside the country, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorskisaid Tuesday.I have information that Russia is behind sabotage attempts in Poland and allied countries.
I have therefore decided to withdraw my permission for the Russian consulate to operate in Poznan, Sikorski told reporters.Russian staff at the consular mission will be recognized as undesirable, Polands state news agency PAP quoted him as saying.Sikorski cited a court case in the western Polish city of Wroclaw, where a Ukrainian man reportedlyconfessed to cooperating with Russian intelligence to commit arson attacks at strategic sites, as evidence of Russian sabotage over Polands support for Ukraine.Russias Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova promised a painful response to Warsaws unfriendly step.Poland, together with the four other EU member countries in the Baltics, has accused Russia of orchestratinghybrid attacks including intimidation, the instrumentalization of migrants, sabotage, disinformation, foreign information manipulation and interference.AFP contributed reporting.