RMF24: There will be no forced eviction of Russians from the former consulate in Gdansk

The Polish government will not forcibly evict Russians from the building of their former consulate in Gdansk. This was reported by the media RMF24 with reference to unnamed interlocutors familiar with the matter.

The Polish government will treat the Russians who refuse to leave the former consulate in Gdansk as squatters and will start a slow legal procedure to force them to vacate the illegally occupied premises, the country's Foreign Ministry told the media.

There will be no forced eviction of Russians with the help of the police. The mission will also not be deprived of access to electricity, gas or water, the article says. If this happens, the Russians will do the same to Polish diplomats in Moscow.

The Russians say that although they recognize the closure of their consulate, they are not going to leave the building on Stefan Batory Street. They argue that under communist-era agreements, the building, which housed consulate in Gdansk belongs to them.

At a briefing on Monday, Gdańsk Vice Mayor Emilia Lodzinska announced that the Russian Embassy had sent a letter to the mayor's office informing them that the property "will be occupied by an administrative and technical officer of the embassy."

Therefore, "we will not be able to physically take control of this property," Lodzinska said. The official added that the city will take "legal measures provided for by the Polish system."

"According to what we have received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we know that in case of a negative reaction of the Russian side to the proposed procedure for the transfer of this property, it will be necessary to submit a request to the Polish Prosecutor General's Office to file a lawsuit on behalf of the State Treasury to release this property, and after receiving a court decision in favor of the Polish side, to conduct court proceedings that will lead to the seizure of the property," she explained.

Cezary Shabel, director of the legal department of the Gdansk City Hall, said that "the position of the Russian side is unclear."

The Russians say that the property was transferred or exchanged for another property, probably in Gdansk. However, he noted, there is no such information in the documents.

The official expressed hope that the Russian side would participate in the trial and submit its documentation. He emphasized that Poland has no such documents. The liberation of buildings in Gdansk from the Russian Federation may take several years.

• On November 19, 2025, it became known that Poland, in response to sabotage on the railroad close the last Russian consulate in Gdansk. The diplomats had to vacate the premises by midnight on December 23.
• November 27 Russia made a "retaliatory step" – announced the closure of the Polish Consulate in Irkutsk. It will stop working on December 30.