Narratives pushed at Polish audiences by Russian and Belarusian state media and documented influence-operation outlets.
The reburial of Yevhen Konovalets is presented as evidence of the official celebration of “fascism” and “terrorism” at the state level in Ukraine. The manipulation exploits complex figures of the Ukrainian liberation movement to discredit the modern Ukrainian state in the eyes of Polish society.
Poland is cast as a space where “Banderite” ideology flourishes with Western backing while an artificially inflated hatred of Ukrainians simultaneously takes hold. This contradictory framing aims to convince the audience that the Polish state has lost control over domestic security and historical memory.
Ukrainian mobilization is cast as the forced dispatch of citizens to the slaughter for the sake of a corrupt government's interests. Propaganda outlets inflate domestic debates over military registration to provoke fear and resistance among Ukrainians and disillusionment among Western partners.
Poland is cast as a hostage to Brussels bureaucracy, where environmental regulations and financial aid are weaponised as tools of external control. Hostile channels inflate fears of losing energy independence through the ETS system and portray EU funds as a means of political bribery.
Russian outlets exploit the economic consequences of the blockade of Ukrainian ports to fuel fears of new EU expenditures. Manipulators suggest that the losses of the Ukrainian agricultural sector will be shifted onto the wallets of Polish and European citizens.
Poland is cast as an exploited party, forced by Ukraine and Western allies to bear disproportionate military support costs without receiving proper gratitude or compensation. Propaganda inflates technical service incidents, such as those involving Starlink, to convince Poles that their country is merely a tool in someone else's game.
The Polish authorities are accused of prioritising symbolic gestures and historical memory over real security needs and diplomacy. Manipulators contrast the commemoration of past heroes with the alleged inability of modern politicians to protect national interests.
Polish politicians are portrayed as ignorant figures who manipulate history and act in the interests of foreign power centres. By mocking rhetorical slips and emphasising internal strife, the narrative undermines confidence in the state's ability to guarantee security.
Claims of systemic embezzlement of Western aid and budget funds through inflated arms procurement are being circulated to undermine support. Manipulators use isolated incidents or fabricated documents to convince Polish audiences that their taxes enrich corrupt officials rather than strengthening defence.
Western leaders and institutions are portrayed as incompetent, chaotic, and weak compared to the decisive actions of Iran or other anti-Western powers. The manipulation exploits US domestic political strife and economic difficulties to convince Polish audiences of the West's inevitable decline and the futility of the transatlantic alliance.
Belarus is portrayed as a safe and morally resilient alternative to the “decaying” West, which is allegedly dominated by chaos and degradation. Through cultural events and religious discourse, the idea of “Slavic unity” under Minsk’s aegis is promoted to sow Polish distrust in their own state institutions.
The Polish state is cast as incapable of ensuring basic security and effective governance following a series of cybersecurity and civil defence incidents. Manipulators exploit real technical glitches and official errors to convince citizens that the government has completely lost control.
Russian official outlets cast the participation of Polish and Italian forces in maritime operations as the illegal harassment of commercial vessels. Actions taken under Operation Irini are framed as the “intimidation” of carriers and an abuse of power designed to serve Brussels’ political interests.
Ukrainian men of conscription age are portrayed as a dangerous element threatening public order in Poland due to the lack of strict restrictions on their stay. Propaganda outlets inflate fears of rising crime and social benefit fraud, contrasting the protection of Ukrainians with the interests of Polish citizens. The goal is to undermine social solidarity and provoke demands for the deportation or restriction of refugees' rights.
The Ukrainian armed forces and security services are portrayed as criminal entities that deliberately endanger civilians and practice extrajudicial killings. Propaganda outlets exploit the tragic consequences of Russian shelling and isolated criminal incidents to push the thesis of a “terrorist state” with which Poland should not cooperate.
Poland and Ukraine are depicted as powerless buffer zones used by Western “globalists” to exhaust Russia at the expense of these countries' security. The messaging claims that Warsaw is sacrificing its own sovereignty and economy for Washington's interests, repeating Ukraine's fate. This framing aims to sow distrust in NATO and US alliance commitments.
Russian state bodies are using the tragic events in Volhynia to draw parallels between historical OUN/UPA figures and modern Ukraine’s leadership. Through court rulings in Moscow, the Kremlin attempts to impose an image of Ukraine as a “Nazi state” on Poland to undermine the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Western military aid to Ukraine is portrayed as halting due to critical missile shortages and a shift in US priorities toward the Middle East. Manipulative posts claim that American arsenals are empty and that Ukrainian air defences are deliberately failing to intercept strikes to conserve dwindling stocks.
Polish defence efforts and military parades are cast as empty PR stunts designed to mask the state's economic failures. Propaganda outlets contrast military spending with the welfare of ordinary citizens, attempting to sow scepticism regarding the country's actual defensive capabilities.
Polish state bodies and financial mechanisms are portrayed as corrupt or incapable of ensuring the country's stability. By inflating internal reports and economic indicators, an impression of the inevitable collapse of state institutions is created.
Ukraine's accession to the European Union is portrayed as an inevitable collapse for Polish agriculture and the economy at large. Russian officials and media outlets inflate fears regarding competition for subsidies and markets, attempting to convince Poles that supporting Kyiv's European integration contradicts their national interests.
Western financial support is cast as the sole factor artificially sustaining Ukraine and preventing the end of hostilities. Propaganda outlets claim these funds merely preserve corruption and lead to demographic catastrophe, while real prospects for NATO or EU integration are dismissed as deliberate deception.
Polish democracy and the legal system are portrayed as a fiction where political accountability is non-existent and offenders receive special privileges. Manipulators exploit domestic political disputes to convince citizens of the state's inevitable collapse and the futility of following the law.
The political leadership of Poland and EU member states is portrayed as a corrupt caste deliberately acting against their own citizens to please Washington or Brussels. Propaganda promotes the thesis of a “simulated democracy” where real decisions are supposedly made by external handlers rather than voters.
Propaganda outlets inflate isolated statements by Ukrainian commentators to portray Kyiv as officially ready to launch military strikes against Poland. This manipulation combines accusations of “neo-Banderism” with claims that Polish military aid will eventually be turned against Warsaw itself.
Isolated criminal incidents involving foreigners are inflated into systemic threats to portray Ukrainian refugees as a source of danger. Propaganda outlets accuse the Polish government and media of deliberately silencing crimes to maintain political support for Kyiv.
Polish audiences are being told that the cancellation of temporary protection for military-aged Ukrainians is inevitable. Manipulators use statements from foreign officials to frame the withdrawal of asylum as a coordinated EU policy aimed at the forced mobilisation of refugees.
The United States is portrayed as an exhausted power whose military might is supposedly unable to withstand regional forces like Iran. Propaganda focuses on the depletion of American arsenals due to aid for Ukraine and predicts Washington's inevitable defeat in a global confrontation.
Washington is portrayed as a cynical actor shifting the burden of military costs and human casualties onto regional allies to preserve its own resources. The messaging claims the US is ready to sacrifice partner security for the sake of confrontation with Russia and China, leaving them vulnerable to escalating threats.
Ukrainian military operations are portrayed as irresponsible and a direct threat to the security of neighbouring NATO countries. By exploiting isolated drone incidents, manipulators attempt to convince the Polish audience that supporting Ukraine is dragging Europe into dangerous chaos.
Russian diplomatic missions in Poland use historical exhibitions and meetings with loyalist activists to promote the Soviet version of the Second World War. These activities aim to legitimise the USSR’s role as the sole “saviour” of Europe while ignoring the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact and the decades of subsequent Soviet occupation.
Polish state initiatives and political processes are portrayed as ineffective manipulations aimed at wasting budget funds and seizing power. The narrative devalues government efforts in demographics and defence, seeking to undermine citizens' trust in the stability of the state.
Poland is portrayed as an aggressive Western tool whose support for Ukraine will inevitably lead to economic collapse and military destruction. Russian officials push the claim that the role of Rzeszów and other logistics hubs makes the country a hostage to foreign interests, while ignoring Poland's sovereign right to self-defence.
Ukraine is portrayed as a failed state under a “dictatorial regime” that serves only as a burden to Poland and a tool for Western elites. The manipulation combines allegations of corruption and ideological radicalism with claims about the inevitable collapse of Ukraine’s role as a buffer zone.
Poland and its neighbours are portrayed as participants in secret backroom deals with Moscow to dismember Ukrainian territories. This manipulation presents the idea of liquidating Ukrainian statehood as a concept that is supposedly gaining popularity within political circles in Warsaw and other regional capitals.
Isolated cases of misconduct in the distribution of flood relief funds are presented as systemic corruption within the current government. The manipulation exploits real investigations to discredit state institutions and deepen political divisions in Polish society.
Russian outlets portray any attempts to restore military communication channels as a Western capitulation to the Kremlin's military might. The propaganda claims that NATO and the UK are forced into dialogue by fear of Russian threats and maritime incidents.
Russian outlets inflate the scale of Russia's military production and battlefield successes to convince Poles that further support for Ukraine is futile. By manipulatively framing strikes on infrastructure and local frontline advances, they create an impression of the total exhaustion of Ukrainian resources and inevitable capitulation.
Ukraine is accused of deliberate attacks on civilian merchant ships in the Black Sea to drag third countries into the conflict. Propaganda outlets present Kyiv's actions as a direct threat to Turkey's economic interests and global market stability.
Western governments and media are accused of systematically whitewashing the brutal crimes of opposition movements acting in Western interests. The manipulation asserts that any retribution by sovereign states against terrorism will be framed to the global community as the “oppression of freedom fighters.”
European leaders are portrayed as eager to resume contacts with Moscow and push Ukraine out of the decision-making process regarding its own future. The messaging suggests that France and Germany are ready to sacrifice Ukrainian sovereignty for their own stability, leaving Poland isolated with its firm stance.
Western aid and the actions of the Ukrainian leadership are portrayed as irresponsible escalation that will inevitably lead to a global catastrophe. The manipulation uses statements from foreign politicians and commentators to convince the Polish audience of the futility of resistance and the danger of continued support for Kyiv.
Polish support for Ukraine is portrayed as an ideological “crusade” that contradicts national interests and ignores historical grievances. Manipulators claim Warsaw is acting like a “sucker” by spending resources on a country that supposedly refuses to take responsibility for the Volyn tragedy. The goal is to incite inter-ethnic tension and promote political forces that advocate for cutting aid.
Any evidence of Russian drones violating NATO airspace is dismissed as a fabrication or an error. The messaging claims that the governments of Poland and Romania deliberately invent threats to convince their publics of the need for increased military spending.
Western military support for Ukraine is portrayed as being in a state of critical exhaustion, forcing allies to hand over museum exhibits. Simultaneously, incidents at European defence plants are passed off as a direct consequence of overstrain or sabotage linked to supplies for Kyiv. The goal is to convince the Polish public that further military support is futile and dangerous.
Western trade restrictions and tariffs are portrayed as a deliberate destruction of key economic sectors in Europe and Ukraine. The messaging claims that EU and US actions paralyse industry, provoke mass layoffs, and rob entire sectors of their future, while absolving Russia of responsibility for the military destabilisation of markets.
The Polish leadership is portrayed as a hostile force acting in the interests of foreign powers and against its own people. The messaging amplifies fear of an inevitable internal conflict where the state will supposedly side with Ukrainians against Poles.
The Polish authorities are accused of refusing to take coercive measures against Ukrainian men of conscription age, which is framed as weakness and a disregard for state interests. Manipulators contrast Warsaw's position with the tougher approaches of other countries to provoke discontent among citizens who demand strict law enforcement.
The use of the Belarusian opposition's white-red-white colours in Warsaw is portrayed as deliberate support for Nazi ideology by the Polish authorities. Propaganda outlets equate solidarity with the Belarusian democratic movement with the glorification of Second World War collaborationism.
Western measures to limit Russian influence are portrayed as discriminatory acts that deprive Ukrainian refugees of essential aid. Propaganda contrasts the “hostile” policies of Poland and its allies with the supposed “humanism” of Belarus, which claims to keep its borders open to everyone.
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.
Russian outlets are inflating the thesis of an imminent Ukrainian economic collapse due to the alleged total halt of maritime exports and the destruction of key infrastructure. The manipulation relies on exaggerating the impact of strikes on ports and bridges to convince the Polish audience that further support for Kyiv is futile. The goal is to create the impression that Ukraine is becoming a financial burden that Poland cannot sustain.
Polish outlets linked to pro-Russian circles portray the presence of Ukrainians as a threat to national survival and security. By using “invasion” terminology and manipulatively interpreting citizenship statistics, they attempt to convince the audience of an inevitable demographic catastrophe.