Date: 11 September 2023 Author: Mikołaj Rogalewicz
Russian Disinformation about Ukrainian Refugees in Poland
Disinformation is a tool commonly used by Russia to achieve the strategic goals of foreign policy. Russian disinformation campaigns seek to reach many states, including Poland. Russian propaganda outlets spread a flurry of fake news concerning many topics, notably Ukrainian refugees who settled in Poland shortly after Moscow invaded Ukraine.
Goals of Russian disinformation campaigns
A key ally of Ukraine, Poland has long backed the country’s NATO and EU membership aspirations. Poland has in many ways set the standard for Europe’s humanitarian response to the Russian attack on Ukraine. Since the invasion began, the Central European nation has welcomed more Ukrainian refugees than any other European country. Russian disinformation operations are calculated to provoke mutual hostility between Poles and Ukrainians. After Moscow invaded Ukraine, Russian disinformation outlets began spreading fake news to demonize Ukrainian refugees and discourage Poles from helping newcomers arriving in neighboring Poland. Moscow is seeking to depict refugees as a threat to Poland while creating a heightened sense of danger among Poles. Russia is deploying an array of disinformation tools while playing out some contentious reports to spread fake news.
Russian disinformation campaigns smearing Ukrainian refugees
After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine last February, Poland became a popular destination for those fleeing the war-torn country. Shortly into Moscow’s invasion, the Kremlin carried out full-spectrum disinformation campaigns about Ukrainian refugees. False reports appeared on social media claiming that burglaries, assaults, and rapes were occurring in Przemysl and elsewhere in eastern Poland nearby the Poland-Ukraine border. Reports circulated that those arriving in Poland were not women and children, but men from Afghanistan, Nigeria, or Lebanon. Among those fleeing Ukraine were both Ukrainian nationals and non-Ukrainian students who had resided in the country. Prompted by these unfounded claims, dozens of Polish football hooligans gathered to attack refugees1. The disinformation operation was quite efficient to stage to drum up anti-immigrant fervor and help grow bitterness among Poles toward Ukrainian refugees. However, no major tensions eventually occurred as Poland’s state authorities cautioned people against believing false information about alleged crimes committed by refugees.
Russian disinformation campaigns push narratives claiming that Ukrainian refugees in Poland are provided with “everything for free” to stir anger and jealousy in Poles who have to work hard for a living. According to some narratives, a majority of Ukrainians stay in Poland for a longer period or permanently––and thus are more prone to take jobs away from Poles2. Moscow began spreading such narratives when Ukrainian nationals had arrived in Poland to seek jobs before the full-scale Russian invasion.
In addition, Russian propaganda outlets exploited a murder in downtown Warsaw back in May 2022 to circulate unfounded claims of criminality and play out the public mood over Ukrainian refugees. The killing in Nowy Swiat, Warsaw, was widely covered by Polish media outlets as it aroused strong emotions nationwide. Russian disinformation campaigns eagerly exploited these unsubstantial claims to further incite anger and hatred3. False reports claimed the crime was committed by Ukrainian nationals, whom other online posts reported to behave violently. There was no record of any other assaults, though4. The murderers, who were already detained by police, were Polish. Disinformation efforts eventually proved effective as many online posts smearing Ukrainian nationals were published on social media. Fake news campaigns have also been waged to spread videos allegedly showing crimes and offenses committed by Ukrainians. Although a majority of the footage did not show Ukrainian nationals at all, many people exposed to the footage believed them to commit assaults.
Conclusions
Russia is using disinformation to stir animosity between Poles and Ukrainians. Ukrainian nationals fell victim to Russian disinformation operations that only gained momentum after Moscow invaded Ukraine. To curb disinformation efforts, it is vital to respond rapidly to fake news circulating online and take action aimed at exposing Russian disinformation. Russian disinformation narratives are poised to reemerge in Poland as Russia is seeking to exploit any emotion-triggering occurring to create disinformation content.
References:
1. S. Jadczak, Wydarzenia w Przemyślu. Według wzorców rosyjskiej dezinformacji, wp.pl, 2022, https://wiadomosci.wp.pl/wydarzenia-w-przemyslu-wedlug-wzorcow-rosyjskiej-dezinformacji-6742903661767648a (accessed: August 30, 2023).
2. R. Hirsch, Trolle już szczują. Naprawdę myślicie, że uchodźcy z Ukrainy zabiorą Polakom pracę?, SpidersWeb, 2022, https://bizblog.spidersweb.pl/czy-ukraincy-zabiora-polakom-prace (accessed: August 30, 2023).
3. WP, Zabójstwo na Nowym Świecie. Tak wykorzystali je Rosjanie, 2022, https://wiadomosci.wp.pl/zabojstwo-na-nowym-swiecie-tak-wykorzystali-je-rosjanie-6773745065810496a (accessed: August 30, 2023).
4. Fakenews.pl, Nie, podejrzanymi o zabójstwo na Nowym Świecie nie są obcokrajowcy, 2022, https://fakenews.pl/spoleczenstwo/nie-podejrzanymi-o-zabojstwo-na-nowym-swiecie-nie-sa-obcokrajowcy/ (accessed: August 30, 2023).
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