A massive fire that destroyed a large shopping center in Warsaw last year was the result of arson ordered by Russian intelligence services, Polish officials said Sunday on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the blaze.

Poland's foreign minister says his country has evidence that Russia recruited people on the Telegram messaging service to carry out last year's massive shopping centre fire in Warsaw.

The Polish government claims to have evidence that the fire was an act of sabotage ordered by Russian security services. The Polish government has ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in the country's second-largest city,