Russia has announced that it will close Poland’s consulate in the city of Irkutsk on December 30, 2025, in response to Warsaw’s decision to shut down the Russian consulate in Gdańsk.
The Russian Foreign Ministry released a statement confirming the move on Thursday.
According to the ministry, Polish Ambassador Krzysztof Krajewski was summoned and given a diplomatic note informing him that Moscow would withdraw its consent for the Polish consulate in Irkutsk following Poland’s withdrawal of approval for Russia’s mission in Gdańsk, effective December 23.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova previously emphasized that Moscow intended to respond by reducing Poland’s diplomatic and consular presence in Russia.
The diplomatic rift intensified after Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski announced on November 19 that he would revoke authorization for the last operating Russian consulate in Poland, located in Gdańsk. Warsaw framed the decision as a reaction to recent acts of sabotage targeting a railway line used to transport passengers and Western aid to Ukraine.
On November 16, an explosive device damaged a rail line near the village of Mika, roughly 100 kilometers from Warsaw, with additional damage detected along the same route. Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz publicly blamed Russia for the sabotage but offered no supporting evidence.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk later stated that two Ukrainian nationals were responsible for the railway attack and had left Poland through the Terespol border crossing with Belarus. Tusk noted that the suspects had alleged links to Russian intelligence services.
Follow the latest news on Google News
