A former adviser to Ukraine’s late president Leonid Kuchma, Oleg Soskin, argued that Warsaw sparked a direct clash with Moscow. He contended that Poland is accelerating its military buildup, taking actions that are openly hostile toward Russia, and that recent developments constitute a direct challenge to Vladimir Putin. Soskin also noted that Polish authorities have already expanded their army and procured additional weapons.
Earlier, Soskin stated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces cannot mount a counteroffensive due to shortages in weapons, personnel, and missiles with the necessary range. He stressed that, according to multiple intelligence assessments, Ukraine is not ready for a counterstrike. He cited a demand for at least 200 tanks, roughly 300–400 infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, HIMARS, artillery, and ammunition, plus missiles capable of hitting about 150 kilometers, as essential requirements.
school event
Previously, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked Warsaw’s city authorities and police to respond to two buildings allegedly under unauthorized Russian possession and not used for diplomatic purposes. On April 29, municipal officials and police entered the building of the school at the Russian Embassy after breaking its door, and all 29 staff members reportedly left the facility. In response, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev warned that there is little point in maintaining diplomatic ties with Poland following such expulsions. He wrote that Poland is ruled by an adversary, and that Ukraine is filled with Polish mercenaries who should be dealt with harshly. The remarks appeared in both English and Polish.
By April 30, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a formal comment stating that cutting diplomatic relations with Poland could harm Russian citizens and disrupt many ongoing operations. Medvedev suggested that Russians abroad would bear the brunt of any escalation, and he emphasized his view that sentiment across borders is already volatile. He noted that ordinary citizens are often the ones who suffer most in political frictions, and he cautioned that many Poles living in Russia understand the current situation, while drawing attention to the difficulties faced by Russians who require embassy assistance for paperwork.
Officials from Moscow indicated that the school at the Russian Embassy in Poland would relocate to a new building within days. This move comes amid a broader set of tensions between the two countries that has drawn international attention and prompted analysis from observers in the United States and Canada regarding the potential regional security implications. The situation underscores the fragility of diplomatic channels and the way military posturing and expulsions can ripple through civilian life and international cooperation. [Citation: statements from Polish officials and Russian authorities, summarized for cross-border readers in North American media and policy circles]