The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued an official warning strongly recommending that all Polish citizens currently in the Russian Federation leave the country as soon as possible.
A statement published on the Polish Foreign Ministry’s website emphasizes that the recommendation is based on several key factors:
ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine;
Russia’s official designation of Poland as an “unfriendly state”;
a sharp reduction in Poland’s consular presence in the Russian Federation (specifically, the closure of the consulates general in St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad);
limited capacity to help Polish citizens should problems arise;
risks of arbitrary detentions, problems with financial transactions, logistics, and transportation.
“We recommend that Polish citizens residing in Russia leave its territory through available commercial and private means, unless personal, family, or professional circumstances require them to remain in the country,” the Foreign Ministry said in an official statement.
The Polish Embassy in Moscow and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasize that, given the continued deterioration of bilateral relations and limited diplomatic channels, providing consular assistance may become extremely difficult or impossible.