Russia warns in opposition to journey to Poland because of “Russophobia” and “persecution”

Russia has suggested its residents in opposition to travelling to Poland due to “Russophobic sentiments” and “persecution of Russian citizens”.

On Tuesday, the Russian embassy in Warsaw issued a “warning for Russian citizens planning trips to Poland”, saying that, “under current circumstances, [we] strongly recommend that Russian citizens refrain from travelling to Poland unless absolutely necessary”.

“In Poland, there has been a rise in Russophobic sentiments, an increase in cases of persecution of Russian citizens, and accusations against them on completely trumped-up pretexts,” they added.

The Kremlin has often accused Poles of harbouring hatred in direction of Russians. Last yr, a state-backed exhibition titled “Ten Centuries of Polish Russophobia” opened in Moscow.

Poles do certainly have overwhelmingly detrimental views of Russia. However, that’s largely primarily based on a historical past through which Russia has invaded, occupied and dominated over Polish territory, together with, most just lately, many years of Moscow-imposed communist rule.

The embassy added that there’s a explicit danger for Russians who’ve beforehand “travelled to new regions of Russia” – a reference to Russian-occupied elements of Ukraine. Such visits “could be interpreted as illegal by Polish authorities at Ukraine’s request”.

That is probably going a reference to the detention in Warsaw final month of a Russian archaeologist from the famend Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. He was arrested on the request of Ukraine, which accuses him of conducting unlawful excavations in occupied Crimea.

Earlier this week, Moscow summoned the Polish ambassador to situation a protest in opposition to his detention and to demand his launch. A Polish court docket is due quickly to resolve on whether or not to extradite the suspect to Ukraine.

Russians are already banned from getting into Poland most often, even when they possess a Schengen visa. Exceptions embrace humanitarian causes – for instance, opposition figures fleeing Russia – and diplomatic or different official visits.

Earlier this month, Poland refused to permit two Russian ski jumpers to take part in a World Cup occasion within the city of Zakopane, regardless of them being cleared to compete by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Poland was additionally eliminated because the host of two European junior weightlifting championships this yr because of its refusal to permit athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate.

Diplomatic tensions between Russia and Poland have been at a heightened stage in recent times. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Poland has been one among Kyiv’s closest allies and has demanded more durable worldwide motion in opposition to Moscow.

Meanwhile, Russia has orchestrated a marketing campaign of sabotage, cyberattacks, disinformation and different so-called hybrid actions in Poland.

That has prompted Warsaw to successively order the closure of all Russia’s consulates in Poland, with Moscow retaliating by ordering all Polish consulates in Russia to shut.

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Main picture credit score: Schlurcher/Wikimedia Commons (beneath CC BY 4.0)