Moscow Says Cutting Diplomatic Ties With Poland Will Hurt Russian Citizens Living There

Moscow has the right to sever diplomatic relations with Poland following the seizure of the building of the school at the Russian embassy in Warsaw, but it will primarily hurt Russian citizens living and working in this country, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday.

The Polish authorities have been involved in provocations against Russia for years and Moscow has every right to cut ties with Warsaw in response, according to the diplomat.

"(But) who is the first to suffer from such decisions? People, citizens, and I am now not talking about Poland's citizens, many of whom understand well what is happening now. I am talking about our citizens who live, work there and who have families," Zakharova told the Rossiya 1 broadcaster.

Russia's diplomatic presence in Poland is also important as regards the memorial activity there since Russian diplomats have to look after the Soviet memorials especially amid increasing number of cases of vandalism in the country, the spokeswoman added.