Poland fights a pro-Kremlin disinformation wave, PAP reports. Pro-Russian sentiments are rising in Poland, and the responsibility of politicians is to stop them, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said after Russian drone attacks on the country.

A wave created by the Kremlin

“A wave of pro-Russian sentiment and anti-Ukrainian feeling is rising, created by the Kremlin using real fears and emotions,” Tusk wrote on X on Sunday, 14 September.

He emphasized that the task of politicians is to stop this wave before it affects society.

As expected, the attack caused strong fear and insecurity among Polish citizens. The country hosts points through which foreign weapons are delivered to Ukraine, heightening concerns.

These sentiments are actively supported by some Polish right-wing politicians and media, which build campaigns on anti-criminal emotions while ignoring the significant contributions of Ukrainians to Poland’s economy and society.

The Kremlin deliberately spreads disinformation and provokes confrontation between Poland and Ukraine to weaken Western support for Ukraine.

Ukrainians’ contribution to Poland

In 2024, the Ukrainians in Poland contributed about 2.7% of the country’s GDP, over 99 billion zlotys, which is nearly $20 billion . They established more than 77,700 private enterprises between 2022–2024, accounting for about 12% of all new businesses in the country during that period.

Poland is fully aware of the attack

Earlier, Tusk assured that Polish services and the military know who is responsible for the drone attack.

“We will not be sensitive to manipulation and disinformation from Russia. Poland is confident about the sources, launch location, and intent of this action,” the Polish prime minister added.

Call for caution

The head of government urged Poles to rely only on verified information from official sources, including the military, services, and state media, to avoid panic and fake news.

The Russian intelligence has assassination lists, which includes Ukrainian prominent politicians, officials, and public figures. Former Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, Andrii Parubiy, who was killed in Lviv by a Russian agent, was in one of them even before the war, says deputy Iryna Herashchenko from his European Solidarity party, Radio NV reports. 

Ukraine investigates Russian link to assassination of politician who opposed Kremlin for 30 years

Moscow behind every attempt

“From the very first second, it was clear that Moscow was behind this. Whoever pulled the trigger, Moscow was controlling it,” says Herashchenko.

The first attempt on Parubiy’s life occurred in December 2014, when a grenade was thrown near the Kyiv hotel. In 2022, the Russians added him to a “hit list” targeting dozens of Ukrainian politicians.

Telegram recruitment and psychological pressure

Herashchenko explained that Russian intelligence tried to recruit a suspect via Telegram, offering the body of Parubiy’s missing son as leverage, exploiting his emotional vulnerability.

“The person was easy prey for the FSB to execute this absolutely hellish plan,” she noted.

The European Solidarity faction is pushing for legislation to de-anonymize Telegram in Ukraine to prevent such crimes in the future.

Threats persist

Herashchenko also recalled threats during the Minsk negotiations, when Moscow-aligned actors warned Ukrainian participants.

“Do you think we don’t know where you live? Your house will be burned by the families of prisoners of war,” she repeats Russian threats to Ukrainian officials. 

Russia breached the Minsk agreements, which focused on reaching peace in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine, and started the all-out war in 2022.

Herashchenko emphasizes that such Russian tactics continue today, underscoring the ongoing dangers faced by Ukrainian politicians.