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| Russia lambasts Poland over bikers ban | Russia lambasts Poland over bikers ban |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Russia has summoned the Polish envoy in Moscow to protest against a ban on Russian bikers from entering Poland as part of World War Two commemorations. | Russia has summoned the Polish envoy in Moscow to protest against a ban on Russian bikers from entering Poland as part of World War Two commemorations. |
| Russia's foreign ministry said it was a "cynical" move aimed at deliberately harming bilateral ties. | Russia's foreign ministry said it was a "cynical" move aimed at deliberately harming bilateral ties. |
| Poland said it acted to ensure "the protection of public order". | Poland said it acted to ensure "the protection of public order". |
| The bikers - including the pro-Kremlin Night Wolves group - want to ride through Poland as part of a Moscow-Berlin trip to mark the end of WW2. | The bikers - including the pro-Kremlin Night Wolves group - want to ride through Poland as part of a Moscow-Berlin trip to mark the end of WW2. |
| In a statement (in Russian), the Russian foreign ministry said Warsaw's decision "mocked the memory of those killed fighting against fascism" during the war. | In a statement (in Russian), the Russian foreign ministry said Warsaw's decision "mocked the memory of those killed fighting against fascism" during the war. |
| Its response comes a day after the Polish side notified Moscow about the ban in a brief statement (in Polish). | Its response comes a day after the Polish side notified Moscow about the ban in a brief statement (in Polish). |
| Last year, Poland refused entry to a similar Russian motorcycle rally. However, a number of bikers then managed to get into the country. | Last year, Poland refused entry to a similar Russian motorcycle rally. However, a number of bikers then managed to get into the country. |
| Night Wolves leaders Aleksandr Zaldostanov again pledged that his bikers would be in Berlin on 9 May to raise their Victory flag there. | |
| The planned 6,000km (3,720 mile) road trip would take them through Russia, Belarus, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria, before reaching the German capital. | The planned 6,000km (3,720 mile) road trip would take them through Russia, Belarus, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria, before reaching the German capital. |
| The nationalist Night Wolves group has close links to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has taken part in their rides. | The nationalist Night Wolves group has close links to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has taken part in their rides. |
| The Night Wolves are subject to US sanctions for alleged active involvement in Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and for helping to recruit separatist fighters for Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine. | The Night Wolves are subject to US sanctions for alleged active involvement in Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and for helping to recruit separatist fighters for Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine. |
| Relations between Poland and Russia are currently difficult, the BBC's Adam Easton in Warsaw reports. | |
| Poland has strongly criticised Russia's actions in Ukraine in recent years. | |
| The previous Polish government called last year's planned motorcycle rally a deliberate provocation by the Kremlin, and more than 10,000 Poles signed up to a petition against it on social media, our correspondent says. | |
| In recent months, Moscow has also complained to Warsaw about the dismantling in Poland of several WW2 Red Army memorials. |