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Akbar Novruz

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Russia’s diplomatic presence in Poland has effectively come to an end after Warsaw ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in the city of Gdańsk, the last remaining Russian consular office in the country, Azernews reports.

Poland’s foreign ministry instructed the consulate to cease operations by December 23, following accusations that Russian agents were involved in the sabotage of a railway line last month. Under the order, consulate employees were required to leave Polish territory. However, Moscow has refused to fully vacate the premises, insisting on leaving one “administrative and technical employee” behind to “ensure the inviolability” of the building.

The dispute centers on a villa located on Batorego Street, which has housed Kremlin diplomats since 1951. Russian officials argue that the property was transferred to the Soviet Union in the early 1950s as compensation for assets lost during World War II. “We believe this is our property,” Andrei Ordash, chargé d’affaires of the Russian embassy in Warsaw, told broadcaster TVN.

Polish authorities strongly reject this claim. Gdańsk city hall has described Russia’s position as “incomprehensible,” noting that available documentation does not support Moscow’s assertions. According to Poland’s land and mortgage registers, the building belongs to the Polish state treasury.

The city also recalls that in 2013 it began charging usage fees for the property, which the Russian consulate refused to pay. Unpaid fees for the period between 2013 and 2023 are estimated at around 5.5 million zloty, with interest adding a further 3 million zloty.

Historically, Russia and later the Soviet Union had operated a consulate in Gdańsk since the era of Tsar Peter the Great. That earlier facility was seized by Nazi Germany in 1941 and destroyed in 1945 during the Red Army’s advance.

Despite Russia’s objections, recent video footage confirms that the consulate in Gdańsk has been shut down, marking the complete expulsion of Russian consular institutions from Poland.