Lithuanian Prosecutor's Office confirms Russian involvement in Warsaw shopping mall arson

In addition to the arson of an IKEA store in Vilnius, Russian intelligence services were also behind the fire at a shopping mall in Warsaw.

As reported by RMF24, the Lithuanian Prosecutor's Office has confirmed that the Russian military intelligence (GRU) was responsible for the arson of an IKEA store in Vilnius last year. Lithuanian investigators believe the GRU was also behind the fire at a shopping mall in Poland.

The Lithuanian investigation revealed that the direct perpetrators of the arson were connected to Russian services through a long chain of intermediaries.

The General Prosecutor’s Office stated that both perpetrators of the crime are Ukrainian citizens. One of the accused is currently detained in Poland, and law enforcement agencies in both countries are cooperating and coordinating their actions. The case of the other individual was transferred to court in Lithuania on 17 March.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk responded to the Lithuanian Prosecutor's Office's information. 

"Dear allies, the investigation of the Lithuanian prosecutor’s office has confirmed our suspicions that responsible for setting fires to shopping centres in Vilnius and Warsaw are the Russian secret services. Good to know before negotiations. Such is the nature of this state," Tusk wrote on X.

Last week, Polish investigators also brought charges against a Belarusian citizen in relation to the arson of a large construction market on Radzymińska Street in April last year, shortly before the fire at a shopping mall on Marywilska Street, both in Warsaw. The investigation showed that this man also acted on orders from Russian intelligence.