Tusk Blames Russian Intelligence for Devastating 2024 Warsaw Fire
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has directly accused Russian intelligence services of orchestrating a devastating fire at a major shopping mall in Warsaw last year, describing it as a calculated act of sabotage.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to RMF24.
Speaking alongside Prosecutor General Adam Bodnar and Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak, Tusk confirmed that the May 2024 blaze on Marywilska Street was not accidental, but rather a premeditated arson attack commissioned by operatives of the Russian Federation.
“Evidence collected by our security services clearly indicates that the fire was deliberately set on the instructions of Russian intelligence,” Tusk stated. “We have precise knowledge of how the order was placed, how the operation was carried out, and how it was documented by the perpetrators.”
According to Polish authorities, the individuals responsible acted under the direction of a coordinator located within Russian territory. Several suspects have already been detained, while others remain at large. The investigation is being conducted by the Internal Security Agency, in coordination with prosecutors and police.
Tusk also revealed that Polish services are working closely with Lithuanian counterparts, following similar suspicious incidents across the region. Notably, a fire at an IKEA store in Vilnius, occurring around the same time as the Warsaw blaze, is under investigation, with a Ukrainian national suspected of collaborating with Russian operatives currently standing trial.
The Warsaw mall fire, initially not officially linked to foreign sabotage, was the largest in a wave of unexplained fires across Poland. Tusk's latest comments represent a significant shift in tone and a clear escalation in Warsaw’s response to what it now views as a pattern of Russian hybrid attacks targeting critical infrastructure and public safety.
As The Gaze reported earlier, Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digitalisation Krzysztof Gawkowski said that the country is facing an unprecedented attempt by Russia to interfere in the presidential election.