Appealing to historical trauma: the instrumentalization of the 1943 Volyn massacre

What it claims

The tragic events in Volyn are presented as an insurmountable obstacle to Polish-Ukrainian cooperation in order to undermine trust in Kyiv and the current government in Warsaw. Manipulators use painful details of exhumations to devalue diplomatic efforts and sow doubt about the sincerity of the Ukrainian side.

Target audience

Examples (paraphrased)

We paraphrase rather than quote: propaganda's exact wording is built to spread, so we carry the claim and not the craft. Each example cites the post it came from.

• The horrific findings during exhumations in Wola Ostrowiecka, where almost half of the victims were children, raise questions about whether Zelenskyy's promises to open archives are anything more than empty political gestures.

  Niezależny Dziennik Polityczny, 29 Jul 2026 · Archived copy

• While Zelenskyy lands in Lublin to meet Tusk, one should not forget Ukraine's commemoration of UPA figures and the risk that the Polish opposition might “sell out” national interests to foreigners.

  Niezależny Dziennik Polityczny, 29 Jul 2026 · Archived copy

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Goal

Deepen the emotional rift between Poles and Ukrainians by using historical memory to block military and political support for Ukraine.

Techniques used

• Appeal to Fear / PrejudiceFocusing attention on the fact that a significant portion of the remains found belong to children to maximize the emotional impact on the audience.
• DoubtQuestioning the real intentions of the Ukrainian leadership, labelling their steps as merely “political gestures”.

The real grievance it exploits

The deep and sincere pain of Polish society over the lack of a full resolution regarding the exhumation and commemoration of the victims of the Volyn tragedy.

How to counter

• Technique exposure: Notice how tragic historical facts are mixed with political attacks on the government: this is a sign of an attempt to use your sympathy for past victims to incite hostility today.
• Reframe: The process of exhumation and opening archives is a difficult path to understanding that requires the professional work of historians, not emotional manipulation on social media.

Sources (all time)

• Niezależny Dziennik PolitycznyTier 310,703 subscribers
  12 posts · 7–29 Jul 2026

  • 29 Jul · Archived copy
  • 29 Jul · Archived copy
  • 18 Jul · t.me/ndp_pl/69908
  • 18 Jul · t.me/ndp_pl/69898
  • 8 Jul · t.me/ndp_pl/69581
  • 8 Jul · t.me/ndp_pl/69580
  • 8 Jul · t.me/ndp_pl/69568
  • 7 Jul · t.me/ndp_pl/69535
  • 7 Jul · t.me/ndp_pl/69521
  • 7 Jul · t.me/ndp_pl/69520
  • +2 more
• Radio Belarus — Polish serviceTier 11,063 subscribers
  2 posts · 18 Jul 2026

  • 18 Jul · t.me/radiobialorus/13918
  • 18 Jul · t.me/radiobialorus/13903
• UKR LEAKS (Polish)Tier 35,355 subscribers
  8 posts · 29 Jun – 9 Jul 2026

  • 9 Jul · t.me/ukr_leaks_pl/51957
  • 9 Jul · t.me/ukr_leaks_pl/51955
  • 9 Jul · t.me/ukr_leaks_pl/51934
  • 1 Jul · t.me/ukr_leaks_pl/51750
  • 30 Jun · t.me/ukr_leaks_pl/51738
  • 30 Jun · t.me/ukr_leaks_pl/51735
  • 29 Jun · t.me/ukr_leaks_pl/51708
  • 29 Jun · t.me/ukr_leaks_pl/51701