Moscow alleges Karol Nawrocki was involved in the destruction of Soviet war memorials.
Karol Nawrocki, Poland’s president-elect, is listed as wanted by Russia on criminal charges. According to the Russian Interior Ministry’s public database, these charges relate to his alleged role in the dismantling of Soviet-era monuments in Poland.
Nawrocki, a conservative who won Sunday’s presidential run-off by a narrow margin, is being sought by Russia “under a criminal article,” the database states, though specific details are not provided.
TASS reported that Russian authorities have had their eye on Nawrocki since at least February 2024. At that time, Russian law enforcement reportedly initiated criminal proceedings against several high-ranking Polish officials, including Nawrocki, who was then the director of Poland’s Institute of National Remembrance. The charges stemmed from the removal and destruction of Soviet war memorials.
The Soviet Union suffered over 600,000 casualties while liberating Poland from Nazi Germany between 1944 and 1945. In the aftermath of the war, hundreds of monuments were erected throughout Poland to commemorate their contribution. Following the collapse of the Warsaw Pact and the conclusion of the Cold War, Poland has accused the Soviet Union of “occupying” the country and has actively worked to eliminate symbols of the communist era.
The Russian Defense Ministry reports that Polish authorities had removed 468 of the 561 Soviet memorials in the country by late 2023. Moscow has accused Warsaw of distorting historical facts and creating an environment conducive to the justification of Nazi collaborators.
Nawrocki, running as an independent with the backing of the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, defeated Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski with 50.89% of the vote. His inauguration is scheduled for August 6.
The president-elect, who also served as the director of the Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk from 2017 to 2021, has generally supported continued aid to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. However, he has voiced opposition to Ukraine joining NATO, as well as the deployment of Polish troops to the country. He also opposes closer trade ties between the EU and Ukraine, claiming they would foster unfair competition and negatively impact Polish agricultural and transport businesses.