The Polish ambassador to Russia, Krzysztof Krajewski, attended a brief ceremony, expressing hope the post could reopen "in better times."
In a statement, Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the closure as a retaliatory response after Warsaw shut down the Russian consulate in Poznań in October, citing alleged acts of sabotage in Poland linked to the Kremlin.
“This is a place that, for many years, provided assistance and reflected a different world than the everyday reality,” the consulate said, thanking current and former staff for their service—particularly those who remained after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry had announced in December that the Polish consulate in St. Petersburg must cease operations by Jan. 10, 2025. It also declared three Polish diplomats at the post personae non gratae.
Moscow criticized Poland’s earlier decision to close the Russian mission in Poznań as “openly hostile,” warning it would take “tough retaliatory measures.”
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski rejected Russia’s justification, saying Warsaw’s move was a direct reaction to sabotage attempts and arson incidents attributed to Moscow’s influence.
“We are not carrying out arson or sabotage in Russia,” Sikorski told reporters, adding that Poland’s decision was in line with defensive actions taken by allied countries in the wake of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
Despite the closure in St. Petersburg, Poland continues to maintain diplomatic posts in Moscow, Kaliningrad and Irkutsk.
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Source: IAR, PAP