The Russian disinformation apparatus continues to focus on directions familiar from previous months concerning Poland. Over the past few days (5-8 September, 2023), the Russians have clearly been prioritising not only painting the portrait of Poland as a threat to its neighbours, but also falsifying the image of Polish-Ukrainian relations.
On the one hand, Poland is portrayed as a “notoriously militaristic” country and, on the other, as a state whose relations with Ukraine are “at a critically bad level”. In the overall picture of reality formed by Moscow and Minsk, Poland is preparing to “provoke a war with Russia” by attacking Ukraine or Belarus. Problems in Polish-Ukrainian relations are hyperbolised, creating the narrative that Poles will soon demonstrate their “long-held hostile intentions towards Ukraine” (annexation of part of the territory).
Among the messages and narratives manifested, the following were most frequently observed:
- Poland is acquiring large amounts of military equipment (the issue of ‘militarisation’ – exaggerating the situation);
- Poland is “militarising” in order to be ready to provoke a war with Russia;
- Poland has “prepared a plan for the annexation” of western Ukraine;
- The conditions in which Ukrainians live in Poland are “tragic”;
- Kyiv “wants to punish Poland” for its “unjustified blockade” of Ukrainian grain.
In spite of the existing tensions in Polish-Ukrainian relations, one should treat media reports which exaggerate the situation with caution. Some unverified reports are deliberately disseminated by Russian disinformation centres and pro-Russian propagandists influencing the Polish infosphere. In the Russian infosphere, these actions create the image of Ukraine as a country that will “soon lose the war” as a result of “betrayal” by its allies. The activities in question perform several functions in terms of influencing informational channels. From our perspective, the basic objectives seem to be: deconstructing a positive image of Poland in Ukraine, stimulating anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Poland, calming Russians (convincing them that victory is near), as well as consolidating Belarusian and Russian society around the “Polish threat”.
All of the above objectives paint the picture of Poland as an “evil force” that cannot be trusted and whose destruction (similarly to the liquidation of Ukrainian statehood) “is in the interest of Russia and almost all of Europe”.
Author: dr Michal Marek
Public task financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland within thegrant comp etition “Public Diplomacy 2023”
