Moscow on Thursday slammed Poland’s designation of Russia as a “state sponsor of terrorism,” calling it part of a targeted Western campaign that has no legal bearing.
The Polish lower house of parliament, the Sejm, issued the designation in a late Wednesday resolution. It condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and includes a disputed amendment blaming Moscow for the downings of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in 2014 and a plane carrying Poland’s then-president in 2010.
“The forms of terror that Russia uses against Ukrainian citizens are crimes against humanity and genocide,” the text reads, as quoted by Ukraine’s Ukrinform news agency.
The Kremlin dismissed the Sejm’s resolution as “continuing anti-Russian derangement.”
“That’s how we’re treating it,” President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a daily briefing.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry had stronger words for Warsaw’s move, which came nearly a month after the European Parliament adopted its own resolution recognizing Russia as a “state sponsor of terrorism.”
“This unfriendly step is part of a targeted information and political campaign the West conducts against our country,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Thursday.
Speaking at a weekly briefing, she said the designation “has nothing to do with the real situation in the fight against international terrorism.”
Ukraine has made repeated calls to the international community to declare Russia a “terrorist state” over its invasion of the pro-Western country.
The United States has so far steered clear of placing Russia on its list of state supporters of terrorism.
The U.S., unlike the EU, has a legal framework to issue such designations, which trigger sanctions and lift U.S. immunity for Russian officials.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
