Poland has officially accused Russian secret services of being behind the devastating fire that engulfed the Marywilska 44 shopping center in Warsaw in May 2024, in what authorities describe as part of a broader campaign of hybrid warfare against NATO countries.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that Polish investigators had concluded the blaze was the result of deliberate arson, coordinated by operatives connected to Russian intelligence. According to officials, the operation was directed by an individual based in the Russian Federation. Several suspects have already been arrested, while others have been identified and remain under investigation.
Justice Minister Adam Bodnar and Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak provided further details, stating that the perpetrators had carefully documented the act. The footage was sent to the individual in Russia who allegedly orchestrated the incident. Polish authorities have pledged to pursue both the operatives on the ground and those directing them from abroad.
The Warsaw fire is not an isolated event. Polish and Lithuanian authorities have uncovered a pattern of similar acts of sabotage across the region. Just three days prior to the Marywilska 44 incident, Lithuanian prosecutors say Russia’s military intelligence was behind an arson attack on an IKEA store in Vilnius. In that case, Ukrainian minors were reportedly paid to carry out the crime.
Poland has also charged a Belarusian national, Stepan K., with setting fire to a hypermarket in Warsaw in April 2024. He allegedly used remote-controlled incendiary devices and doused the store in flammable liquid before igniting it. The entire operation was recorded, with footage later used by Russian propaganda channels.
In response to these incidents, Poland and Lithuania have increased intelligence cooperation and security coordination. Poland has reinstated a commission to investigate Russian and Belarusian influence, and has arrested nine individuals accused of engaging in sabotage for Russian intelligence services.
NATO has also responded to the increasing threats by pledging to strengthen its protection of critical infrastructure and enhance intelligence sharing among member states. The alliance is working on new strategies to counter hybrid threats, including sabotage, cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and energy-related coercion.
Despite mounting evidence from multiple investigations, the Russian government has denied any involvement in the acts of arson or sabotage.
The accusations mark a serious escalation in the ongoing tensions between Russia and NATO countries, and highlight the evolving nature of modern conflicts, where covert operations and indirect attacks are increasingly used to destabilize and exert influence.