Russia's Disinformation Campaign Targets Polish-Ukrainian Relations

A Polish advisory council has reported a surge in Russian disinformation aimed at inflaming tensions between Poles and Ukrainians by exploiting historical events from World War II, specifically the Volhynian crime. The Russian FSB has allegedly declassified documents claiming that Ukrainians killed eleven Catholic priests and two thousand residents in Volodymyr-Volynskyi in July 1943. Polish historians have expressed skepticism regarding the authenticity of these documents, suggesting they may be a manipulation of historical facts to provoke emotional responses. The Advisory Council on Resilience to International Disinformation urges the public to refrain from reacting to unverified information from Russian sources. This campaign is seen as part of a broader strategy to undermine Ukrainian institutions and deepen divisions between the two nations. The Council emphasizes the importance of critical evaluation of information to prevent exacerbating interethnic tensions.

Key Points: • Russian disinformation is targeting Polish-Ukrainian relations by exploiting historical events. • The FSB has released documents claiming extensive Ukrainian crimes in Volhynia, which historians doubt. • The Polish advisory council calls for restraint and critical evaluation of information from Russian sources.