Poland has officially accused Russian intelligence services of orchestrating a devastating fire that nearly destroyed a shopping centre in Warsaw, a blaze that wiped out 1,400 small businesses in May 2024.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk has stated that the Polish government is “certain” the fire at the Marywilska shopping centre was the result of arson, carried out under the orders of Russia’s special services.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Tusk confirmed that some of those allegedly responsible for the incident have already been detained, while others are still being actively searched for.
The investigation into the fire, which has lasted for over a year, concluded that the fire was a targeted attack, and Polish authorities believe it was organized by a person in Russia.
“The actions of the individuals in custody were organised and directed by a specific person residing in the Russian Federation,” stated a joint communiqué from Poland’s justice and interior ministers.
They also revealed that the investigation had uncovered links to Lithuania, where some of the perpetrators are believed to have conducted additional acts of sabotage.
The fire, which broke out in May 2024, caused extensive damage to the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw, which housed a significant number of small businesses, many of which were owned or operated by members of the Vietnamese community.
In addition to the financial losses, the fire left many workers without jobs and disrupted local commerce. While Moscow has yet to comment on the latest allegations, the Kremlin has repeatedly denied accusations of engaging in sabotage across Europe.
However, the accusations form part of a broader pattern of alleged covert operations attributed to Russian intelligence services. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Poland has arrested several individuals accused of espionage and sabotage on behalf of Moscow.
Poland has characterized these actions as part of a larger “hybrid war” being waged by Russia. Hybrid warfare refers to covert attacks that are designed to disrupt the targeted nation’s infrastructure and cause harm, yet remain deniable and stop short of being formally attributed as acts of war.
NATO, which has supported Ukraine throughout the conflict, also believes Russia is using hybrid warfare tactics in Europe. These operations are viewed as an attempt by Moscow to deter or punish Western nations for their continued military assistance to Ukraine.
NATO officials have noted that Russia’s secret services have allegedly been involved in various sabotage operations, though Russia continues to deny the allegations.
This marks the second major case in recent months where Russian intelligence services have been accused of being behind arson attacks in Europe.
Earlier this year, Lithuanian prosecutors accused Russia’s military intelligence service of masterminding an arson attack at an Ikea store in Vilnius. In response to that incident, Tusk noted that Polish authorities had suspected a Russian connection between the attacks in both Warsaw and Vilnius.
As the investigation continues, Polish officials have pledged to work closely with Lithuania and other European nations to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The attack on the Marywilska shopping centre serves as a stark reminder of the growing risks associated with hybrid warfare tactics and the ongoing tensions between Russia and NATO member states.