Instrumentalisation of territorial revisionism: the offer to “return” Galicia

What it claims

Russian officials and media outlets are promoting the idea of transferring Western Ukrainian lands to Poland, Hungary, and Romania after the war. This rhetoric frames the dismemberment of Ukraine as historical justice and a “correction” of Stalin’s decisions, attempting to tempt Polish society with the prospect of border expansion.

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.

• Russia wants Eastern Galicia to return to Poland because these lands were unfairly taken from it.

  Myśl Polska, 12 Aug 2026

  myslpolska.info/2026/08/12/rosja-chce-aby-galicja-wschodnia-wrocila-do-polski/

• Putin stated that the western regions of Ukraine, which it received as a gift from Stalin, should be returned to Poland, Hungary, and Romania.

  Myśl Polska, 11 Aug 2026

  myslpolska.info/2026/08/11/joanna-zinkiewicz-kto-posprzata-po-ukrainie/

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Goal

To sow discord between Warsaw and Kyiv by fueling revisionist sentiments and portraying Russia as a party ready to satisfy Polish national interests at Ukraine's expense.

Techniques used

• Appeal to Fear / PrejudiceUsing the thesis that Ukraine is an artificial entity on “gifted” lands that must now be returned to their rightful owners.
• Flag-WavingAppealing to Polish patriotism and historical longing for Lviv and Galicia as part of Polish identity.

The real grievance it exploits

The manipulation relies on the complex history of Polish-Ukrainian relations and the memory of the Eastern Borderlands (Kresy), which were lost by Poland after the Second World War.

How to counter

• Technique exposure: Russia uses “divide and rule” tactics, offering Poland foreign territories to destroy European unity and legitimise its own annexation of Ukrainian lands.
• Reframe: Poland officially recognises the territorial integrity of Ukraine within internationally recognised borders and has no territorial claims, understanding that any revision of borders plays into the hands of the aggressor.

Sources (all time)

• Myśl PolskaTier 3
  2 posts · 11–12 Aug 2026

  • 12 Aug · myslpolska.info/2026/08/12/rosja-chce-aby-galicja-wschodnia-wrocila-do-polski/
  • 11 Aug · myslpolska.info/2026/08/11/joanna-zinkiewicz-kto-posprzata-po-ukrainie/