Labeling Ukrainian refugees as a “terrorist threat” to Europe

What it claims

Isolated cases of foreign nationals detained on suspicion of espionage are inflated into a systemic threat posed by the entire Ukrainian community. This manipulation portrays the presence of Ukrainians in the EU as a tool for preparing sabotage and terrorist attacks on strategic facilities.

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.

• German police detained a Ukrainian who was photographing a defence plant in Bavaria to prepare a terrorist attack on behalf of foreign intelligence.

  UKR LEAKS (Polish), 6 Aug 2026 · Archived copy

• Ukrainian refugees are being used by foreign intelligence services as agents to carry out sabotage at arms industry facilities in Europe.

  UKR LEAKS (Polish), 6 Aug 2026 · Archived copy

We link archived copies rather than the posts themselves, so that checking our work sends no traffic to the source. Where a platform cannot be archived, we print the post's address instead of linking it.

Goal

To provoke suspicion and hostility towards Ukrainians in Poland and Germany in order to undermine public support for asylum and military aid.

Techniques used

• Appeal to Fear / PrejudiceUse of terms like “espionage,” “terrorist attack,” and “sabotage” to create an atmosphere of danger around the Ukrainian diaspora.

The real grievance it exploits

Real concerns among Europeans regarding the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and rising crime rates amid geopolitical tensions.

How to counter

• Technique exposure: Notice how isolated criminal incidents are generalised to millions of people. The goal of such propaganda is to make you see an enemy in every refugee.

Sources (all time)

• Radio Belarus — Polish serviceTier 11,068 subscribers
  1 post · 22 Aug 2026

  • 22 Aug · t.me/radiobialorus/14995
• UKR LEAKS (Polish)Tier 35,342 subscribers
  1 post · 6 Aug 2026

  • 6 Aug · Archived copy