WARSAW: Poland has seized a high school building near Moscow’s embassy in Warsaw that was used to educate the children of Russian diplomats, a move that has been described by the Russian envoy as “illegal.”
The building, which dates back to the 1970s and is known as the “spy nest” by some citizens in Warsaw, has been a source of tension between Poland and Russia for the past year.
According to the Polish foreign ministry spokesman Lukasz Jasina, the building belonged to the Warsaw City Hall, and the move was made following a bailiff’s order.
However, the spokesman for the municipality was unavailable for comment. Poland claims that there is a large disparity in the number of diplomatic buildings each country has in the other.
The Russian envoy, Sergei Andreyev, has called the seizure of the school building a “violation of Vienna’s convention of diplomatic relations” and an “intrusion on a diplomatic facility.”
Andreyev has warned that there will be a reaction, but did not provide further details, saying that a decision would be made in Moscow.
Andreyev has also said that the school building is considered part of Russia’s diplomatic mission, and that teachers and staff live on the premises.
He added that the school will continue to operate from a different part of the Russian embassy’s premises, and that his priority is to ensure the safety and interests of his employees and their families.
Disputes between Poland and Russia
The seizure of the school building is the latest in a series of disputes between Poland and Russia. The two countries have been at odds since Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
Relations have further deteriorated in recent months, with Poland accusing Russia of involvement in a series of cyberattacks and other destabilizing activities.
The move by Poland is likely to further escalate tensions between the two countries. Russia has previously accused Poland of violating international law and the rights of its citizens, and has imposed sanctions on Polish officials and businesses in response. The seizure of the school building is likely to be met with a strong reaction from Moscow.
