Polish General Staff: Russia fuels anti-Ukrainian sentiment

Russia is intensifying its efforts to destabilize public opinion in Poland, seeking to sow distrust toward Ukraine and undermine Warsaw’s support for the Ukrainian people, the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces said.

Moscow, according to the statement, has escalated psychological operations in Poland amid discussions about potential peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, aiming to create an atmosphere of fear and insecurity by linking alleged threats to the presence of Ukrainians in the country.

“Anti-Ukrainian sentiment is being incited in Poland,” the General Staff said.

Polish officials noted that these actions include both on-the-ground and informational tactics, such as arson attacks on Ukrainian vehicles, defacement of anti-war murals, and an extensive online campaign that spreadshatred toward Ukraine via websites and social media accounts.

Incidents of anti-Ukrainian hostility have reportedly been recorded in areas that host logistics hubs supplying aid to Ukraine, including Gdynia and and the port city of Gdańsk.

Warsaw also warned that Russia is attempting to manipulate historical events, particularly the Volyn tragedy where both sides engaged in ethnic atrocities, in order to portray Ukrainians as a greater threat to Poland than Russia itself.

The goal of these disinformation and sabotage efforts, Polish officials said, is to pressure Polish citizens into demanding government decisions that contradict national interests and the country’s consistent support for Ukraine.

“Acts of sabotage are part of a coordinated campaign by Russian intelligence services aimed at undermining support for Ukraine and fueling continued Russian aggression,” the General Staff said.

Earlier, Miroslaw Skorka, head of the Association of Ukrainians in Poland, said that Russian narratives in Poland remain deeply anti-Ukrainian and continue to spread false stereotypes about Ukrainians even today.