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Russia closes Polish consulate in St. Petersburg: Reuters

05.12.2024 14:00
Russia announced on Thursday that it would close Poland's consulate general in St. Petersburg in response to Poland's decision to shut down the Russian consulate in Poznań, the Reuters news agency reported.
The Polish Consulate General in St. Petersburg, a Russian port city on the Baltic Sea.
The Polish Consulate General in St. Petersburg, a Russian port city on the Baltic Sea.Photo: GAlexandrova, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

The Russian foreign ministry also declared three diplomatic staff members from the Polish consulate as personae non gratae, ordering them to leave Russia by a specified date, according to Reuters.

"It was emphasised to the Polish side that Moscow has taken and will continue to take tough retaliatory measures against any unfriendly steps towards Russia," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement, as cited by Reuters.

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said in October that Poland had decided to close the Russian consulate in Poznań in response to a series of sabotage attempts by Moscow.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. Photo: PAP/Marcin Obara

"I have information that Russia is behind sabotage operations in Poland and allied countries," Sikorski said at the time.

"I have therefore decided to withdraw consent for the functioning of the Russian consulate in Poznań," he added.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described Poland's move as "another hostile step" and announced a "painful" response, according to reports at the time.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. Photo: Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency/ABACAPRESS.COM via PAP

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Source: Reuters, TVN24, IAR, PAP