Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Tuesday that Russia is “likely” behind the fire that destroyed Warsaw’s largest shopping center, Marywilska 44. The fire, which occurred earlier this month, has fueled suspicions of a Russian sabotage campaign amid a series of fires across Poland within a few days. Tusk stressed that investigations are ongoing and that definitive conclusions will be shared once the investigation is complete.
During a press conference, Tusk discussed the formation of a new commission to investigate Russian influence in Poland. He indicated that Russian operatives could be linked to the fire at Marywilska 44, emphasizing the importance of examining all possible connections. Tusk also announced financial support for the affected shop owners, including a one-off payment of 2,000 zloty (€470) and partial coverage of their employees’ salaries for three months.
In a related development, Tusk revealed that three additional suspects had been detained on charges of carrying out sabotage on behalf of Russia. This brings the total number of suspects in custody to twelve. Last week, Tusk pledged an additional 100 million zloty for Poland’s security agencies to counter the rising threat from covert actions by Russia and Belarus.
This suspected sabotage incident underscores the growing concern over Russian activities in Poland and the broader region. The Polish government continues to strengthen its security measures and investigate the extent of foreign interference.
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