Arson of shopping mall in Warsaw ordered by Russia. Poland claims involvement of two Ukrainians
Polish law enforcement officials have announced the involvement of two Ukrainian citizens in the arson of a shopping center in Warsaw in May 2024, and one of them has been charged. This was reported by the press service of the National Prosecutor's Office of Poland.
During the investigation, evidence was obtained that allowed establishing that the fire was caused by arson committed by members of a group acting on behalf of the Russian special services.
The group's goal was to set large-scale buildings on fire in European Union countries. This group is also responsible, among other things, for the arson of the IKEA hypermarket on May 9, 2024 in Vilnius.
It was established that the criminal group included, among others, two citizens of Ukraine, Danylo B. (born in 2006) and Oleksandr V. (born in 1975).
According to the prosecutor's office, on May 11, 2024, Danylo B. received an order from Oleksandr V., who was in Russia, to go to the area of the Marywilska shopping center in Warsaw and record the fire and the actions of the fire and rescue services.
The issued order specified a specific time on the night of May 12, 2024. Oleksandr V. ordered Danylo B. to send him the recorded video to publish on Russian propaganda resources. Danylo B. completed this "task."
He has been charged with two crimes. The man is accused of participating in an organized group aimed at committing crimes in the form of sabotage and terrorist acts in European countries, as well as committing sabotage and terrorist acts jointly and in agreement with other persons, acting in favor of the Russian Federation against Poland, including by recording a fire in a shopping center in Warsaw on May 12, 2024, and then transmitting this recording.
The man was indicted in late April in Lithuania, where he is in custody.
The prosecutor also drafted resolutions to bring four charges against Alexander V., including participation in an organized criminal group aimed at committing terrorist crimes and committing sabotage on behalf of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service against Poland.
The prosecutor's office did not provide details of the charges against Oleksandr V., as they were not announced to the suspect. According to Polish law enforcement, the man is currently in Russia. The court has already issued a warrant for his arrest.
The prosecutor's office emphasized that at this stage of the investigation, no charges have been brought against the direct arsonists of the shopping center.
- On May 11, 2025, Tusk stated that the arson of the Marywilska 44 shopping center in Warsaw in May 2024 was carried out at the behest of Russian special services.
- On May 12, Sikorski announced that Poland was closing the Russian Consulate General in Krakow.