The Russian Foreign Ministry has issued a stern warning to Poland, vowing a “very harsh response” to the seizure of the Russian embassy’s school in Warsaw. Speaking on the Rossiya-1 TV channel, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that retaliatory steps will be taken and worked out by agencies.
“The official Warsaw will receive retaliatory steps, as you understand, they will be taken and worked out by agencies. This work has been launched, this is their choice, we will respond,” said Zakharova.
The Polish authorities began seizing the building of the Russian embassy school in Warsaw on Saturday morning, ordering the teaching staff to vacate the premises by 07:00 p.m. Moscow time on the same day. The move was described as illegal by Russia’s embassy in Poland.
The incident marks a fresh escalation in tensions between Russia and Poland. The two countries have had a strained relationship since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, with Poland joining NATO in 1999.
The seizure of the embassy school comes at a time of heightened tensions between Russia and the West, with Moscow facing increasing isolation over its actions in Ukraine and allegations of interference in Western democracies. It remains to be seen what form Russia’s “harsh response” will take, but the situation is likely to fuel further tensions between the two countries.