Russian authorities have removed a Polish flag from a memorial commemorating the thousands of Poles killed by the Soviet Union, amid heightened tensions between Moscow and Warsaw over the Ukraine conflict.

Historians and visitors to the Katyn memorial in western Russia's Smolensk region noted the flag's disappearance on social media on Friday.

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The mayor of Smolensk city confirmed the removal on Friday evening, publishing a photo showing the Russian flag flying alone at the memorial's entrance.

"There cannot be Polish flags on Russian monuments. Even less so after the frankly anti-Russian comments by Polish political leaders," Andrei Borisov said on social media platform VKontakte.

"The culture ministry of the Russian Federation made the right decision by removing the Polish flag. Katyn is a Russian memorial."

The decision to take down the flag comes as tensions between Russia and Poland have spiked since Moscow launched its military operation in neighbouring Ukraine in February.

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Poland, a member of NATO and the European Union, has vocally supported Ukraine diplomatically and by supplying it with weapons.

The country has also hosted by far the largest number of Ukrainian refugees within the bloc -- more than 1.1 million according to the latest UN figures.

The Katyn memorial was erected in memory of the 25,000 Poles, mostly army officers deemed anti-communist, massacred by the Soviet Union's political police in a forest near Smolensk in 1940 on the orders of Joseph Stalin.

The Soviet Union had long denied responsibility for the killings, accusing the Nazis of the crime, before admitting the truth in 1990.

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The episode poisoned relations between Russia and Poland.

In 2010, a Smolensk-bound plane carrying the Polish president crashed, killing its 96 passengers. The investigation into the incident became another source of tension after the countries tried to improve their ties.

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Russian authorities have removed a Polish flag from a memorial commemorating the thousands of Poles killed by the Soviet Union, amid heightened tensions between Moscow and Warsaw over the Ukraine conflict.

Russian authorities have removed a Polish flag from a memorial commemorating the thousands of Poles killed by the Soviet Union, amid heightened tensions between Moscow and Warsaw over the Ukraine conflict. Historians and visitors to the Katyn memorial in western Russia's Smolensk region noted the flag's disappearance on social media on Friday. Also read | Pioneering Russian journalist sells Nobel Peace medal for Ukraine The mayor of Smolensk city confirmed the removal on Friday evening, publishing a photo showing the Russian flag flying alone at the memorial's entrance. "There cannot be Polish flags on Russian monuments. Even less so after the frankly anti-Russian comments by Polish political leaders," Andrei Borisov said on social media platform VKontakte. "The culture ministry of the Russian Federation made the right decision by removing the Polish flag. Katyn is a Russian memorial." The decision to take down the flag comes as tensions between Russia and Poland have spiked since Moscow launched its military operation in neighbouring Ukraine in February. Watch | Former Soviet Union World War 2 soldier lashes out at Russia for destroying his home in Ukraine Poland, a member of NATO and the European Union, has vocally supported Ukraine diplomatically and by supplying it with weapons. The country has also hosted by far the largest number of Ukrainian refugees within the bloc -- more than 1.1 million according to the latest UN figures. The Katyn memorial was erected in memory of the 25,000 Poles, mostly army officers deemed anti-communist, massacred by the Soviet Union's political police in a forest near Smolensk in 1940 on the orders of Joseph Stalin. The Soviet Union had long denied responsibility for the killings, accusing the Nazis of the crime, before admitting the truth in 1990. Also read | Russian pranksters trick JK Rowling by posing as Ukrainian President Zelensky The episode poisoned relations between Russia and Poland. In 2010, a Smolensk-bound plane carrying the Polish president crashed, killing its 96 passengers. The investigation into the incident became another source of tension after the countries tried to improve their ties. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia removes Polish flag from Soviet massacre memorial

The Polish government expelled 45 Russian diplomats on Wednesday for espionage, an accusation that the Russian ambassador in Poland immediately dismissed as baseless.

Poland's Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski announced on Twitter that his country has "expelled 45 Russian spies pretending to be diplomats."

"Poland expelled 45 Russian spies pretending to be diplomats. With full consistency and determination, we are breaking up the agents of the Russian secret services in our country," Kaminski wrote.&nbsp;

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Polska wydala 45 rosyjskich szpiegów udających dyplomatów. Z pełną konsekwencją i determinacją rozbijamy agenturę rosyjskich służb specjalnych w naszym kraju.
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Sergey Andreyev, the Russian ambassador to Poland, confirmed the expulsion, adding that the expelled individuals had been given five days to leave.

"There are no grounds for these kinds of accusations," he said, adding that Russia reserves the right to take retaliatory action.&nbsp;

As far as bilateral diplomatic relations are concerned, he stated: "The embassies remain, the ambassadors remain."

Poland's counter-espionage service, ABW had earlier on Wednesday said that it had identified 45 Russian diplomats as suspected spies and recommended that the foreign ministry expel them.

"The internal security agency has drawn up a list of 45 people working in Poland under the cover of diplomatic activities," ABW spokesman Stanislaw Zaryn told reporters, accusing the suspects of targeting Poland.

He said the list of suspects had been transferred to the foreign ministry, tweeting that "ABW is requesting that they be expelled from Polish territory".

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The ABW "has detained a Polish national on suspicion of espionage for the Russian secret services," the spokesman added on Twitter.

"The detainee worked in the archives of Warsaw's registry office," he said.

"The activity of the suspect posed a threat to both (the) internal and external security of Poland."

(With inputs from agencies)

The Polish government expelled 45 Russian diplomats on Wednesday for espionage, an accusation that the Russian ambassador in Poland immediately dismissed as baseless.

The Polish government expelled 45 Russian diplomats on Wednesday for espionage, an accusation that the Russian ambassador in Poland immediately dismissed as baseless. Poland's Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski announced on Twitter that his country has "expelled 45 Russian spies pretending to be diplomats." "Poland expelled 45 Russian spies pretending to be diplomats. With full consistency and determination, we are breaking up the agents of the Russian secret services in our country," Kaminski wrote. Polska wydala 45 rosyjskich szpiegów udających dyplomatów. Z pełną konsekwencją i determinacją rozbijamy agenturę rosyjskich służb specjalnych w naszym kraju. — Mariusz Kamiński (@Kaminski_M_) March 23, 2022 × Also read | Amid Ukraine invasion, Russia intesifies crackdown on media Sergey Andreyev, the Russian ambassador to Poland, confirmed the expulsion, adding that the expelled individuals had been given five days to leave. "There are no grounds for these kinds of accusations," he said, adding that Russia reserves the right to take retaliatory action. As far as bilateral diplomatic relations are concerned, he stated: "The embassies remain, the ambassadors remain." Poland's counter-espionage service, ABW had earlier on Wednesday said that it had identified 45 Russian diplomats as suspected spies and recommended that the foreign ministry expel them. "The internal security agency has drawn up a list of 45 people working in Poland under the cover of diplomatic activities," ABW spokesman Stanislaw Zaryn told reporters, accusing the suspects of targeting Poland. He said the list of suspects had been transferred to the foreign ministry, tweeting that "ABW is requesting that they be expelled from Polish territory". Watch | Day 28 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine: Russia reiterates 'Nuclear' threat The ABW "has detained a Polish national on suspicion of espionage for the Russian secret services," the spokesman added on Twitter. "The detainee worked in the archives of Warsaw's registry office," he said. "The activity of the suspect posed a threat to both (the) internal and external security of Poland." (With inputs from agencies)

Russian spies in Poland?: Country expels 45 Russian diplomats for espionage

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki hit out at Russian President Vladimir Putin for "deliberately lying" about Poland being responsible for the outbreak of World War-II.

"President Putin has lied about Poland on numerous occasions, and he has always done it deliberately," Morawiecki said in a statement, adding, "this usually happens when Russian authorities feel international pressure related to their activities. In recent weeks Russia has suffered several significant defeats."

Putin in a speech recently had blamed Poland for the outbreak of World War-II and also accused it of anti-semitism in pre-war Poland. Putin said the Polish ambassador in Warsaw at the time had put up a Nazi salute in Warsaw and had agreed to sends Jews to Africa.

As the row escalated, the Polish foreign ministry summoned the Russian ambassador to complain about Putin’s comments.

Morawiecki said European Union sanctions on Russia in the aftermath of the Crimea conquest and the recent Russian doping scandal were responsible for Putin taking a shot at his country.

"I consider President Putin's words as an attempt to cover up these problems. The Russian leader is well aware that his accusations have nothing to do with reality –- and that in Poland there are no monuments of Hitler or Stalin," Morawiecki said.&nbsp;

"Such monuments stood here only when they were erected by the aggressors and perpetrators –- the Third Reich and Soviet Russia," he added.

World War-II broke out in on September 1, 1939 after Hitler's Nazi Germany attacked Poland after which the Soviets attacked Poland on September 17 and occupied a part of the country carving Poland into two parts. Germany and the former Soviet Union had&nbsp;secret clause under the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact to split Poland.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki hit out at Russian President Vladimir Putin for "deliberately lying" about Poland being responsible for the outbreak of World War-II.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki hit out at Russian President Vladimir Putin for "deliberately lying" about Poland being responsible for the outbreak of World War-II. "President Putin has lied about Poland on numerous occasions, and he has always done it deliberately," Morawiecki said in a statement, adding, "this usually happens when Russian authorities feel international pressure related to their activities. In recent weeks Russia has suffered several significant defeats." Putin in a speech recently had blamed Poland for the outbreak of World War-II and also accused it of anti-semitism in pre-war Poland. Putin said the Polish ambassador in Warsaw at the time had put up a Nazi salute in Warsaw and had agreed to sends Jews to Africa. As the row escalated, the Polish foreign ministry summoned the Russian ambassador to complain about Putin’s comments. Morawiecki said European Union sanctions on Russia in the aftermath of the Crimea conquest and the recent Russian doping scandal were responsible for Putin taking a shot at his country. "I consider President Putin's words as an attempt to cover up these problems. The Russian leader is well aware that his accusations have nothing to do with reality –- and that in Poland there are no monuments of Hitler or Stalin," Morawiecki said. "Such monuments stood here only when they were erected by the aggressors and perpetrators –- the Third Reich and Soviet Russia," he added. World War-II broke out in on September 1, 1939 after Hitler's Nazi Germany attacked Poland after which the Soviets attacked Poland on September 17 and occupied a part of the country carving Poland into two parts. Germany and the former Soviet Union had secret clause under the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact to split Poland.

President Putin has lied about Poland on numerous occasions: PM Mateusz Morawiecki

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Russia removes Polish flag from Soviet massacre memorial

Russian spies in Poland?: Country expels 45 Russian diplomats for espionage

President Putin has lied about Poland on numerous occasions: PM Mateusz Morawiecki